New Beginnings

Happy New Year!  I did not write much in 2014.  I am hoping, once again, to change that.  Starting today :)

Looking back on the year gone by, I had much to be happy about.  I got to travel a bit, going to Dallas in January and Denver in September.  It had been 16 years since we had last been in Dallas.  We got to visit my wonderful friend Gretchen and her husband Clay and see their beautiful new home.  It was so nice to see Gretchen-hoping another 10 years doesn't go by before we get to visit again!  While in Dallas, we got to see the Bruins play the Dallas Stars at American Airlines area, which was phenomenal!  We also got to tour AT&T Stadium, which was a lot of fun.  Dallas certainly knows how to do sports!

We had been to the Denver area in 1996, but all I really remember is having a hard time adjusting to the altitude.  I had no problems this time.  We stayed north of Denver, towards Boulder.  I really fell in love with this area of Colorado. It was so clean and beautiful.  The scenery was gorgeous and the people were very friendly.  We went to a Colorado Rapids game, walked the Colorado State campus, shopped and ate in Boulder.  If I could survive a winter, I think I could live out there!.

There were a couple of low points as well, most notably the death of my father. The hardest thing about it for me has been the finality-knowing that I can't just pick up the phone and call my dad anymore.  My father used to drive me crazy, but he was still my dad.  The fact that I have to refer to him in the past tense is still odd to me.

I was also officially diagnosed with diabetes this spring.  I take Metformin for it, which I hate.  One of my major goals is to get off this medication.  If I have learned anything from my father's example, it's to take care of my health.  My dad had heart disease and diabetes, and he mismanaged his conditions terribly; there is no doubt in my mind that caused his death.  His ill health was entirely his own doing-getting well was very much in his hands.  I know the same is true for me and it's something that needs my full attention.

Many people make resolutions on January 1st-they usually are forgotten by January 10th.  Mine is fairly simple.  I resolve to love myself.  Over the years, I have hated myself for various reasons and my life has reflected that.  The times that I have loved myself have been very rare.  That is just so wrong.  When you love yourself, you treat yourself with respect.  You build yourself up and surround yourself with good people and good situations.  You leave the past behind and feel no need to dwell on it.  When you love yourself, that love radiates outward.  There is no need to criticize or judge people; you are too busy living your life and seeing the beauty in your surroundings to worry about what others are doing or what they think of you.  When you love yourself, you savor life, live in the moment; there is no need to rush through anything.

So that is my resolution-to love myself.  And I hope that 2015 is a positive year for everyone!