A year of turmoil and blessing

As the year really ends tomorrow, I am reflecting...on things past, for the future...

When I travel New Mexico, I can see the stars and Milky Way, and think of how as rebirth comes, we age, measured in the by the number of times our little globe has circled the sun.

Our perception of time is so shallow.

This past year has been a year of invasions, of joys, of turmoil, of disappointments, of loves and fears, of futures and pasts, of hopes and sadness, of beauty and blandness, of what might have been and what is, of art and ugliness, or principles and politics, of goodness and greed....

For me, the year started with the births of Sarah Elizabeth Grace Clark in Florida and Liberty Faye Clark in Missouri...

Granddaughters carrying the names of great-grand mother and mother.  It included the hope of a new President to lead us out of America's dark ages, of children and grandchildren and a lemonade stand, of a step-daughter's graduation, of turmoil and conflict at work, and friendships that matter, especially with the state press, of times and incidents regretted, of trips with my wife to San Diego and New Mexico and Fort Wroth, and by myself to Lubbock and Amarillo and Santa Fe and Missouri and Florida, of phone calls and Skype with children, of a new future in a career, of sons and daughters dying in lands of hatred, of parents and loved ones in grief, of music amid the cacophony of modern life, of friendships discovered and renewed and strengthened, of words well-written, of tragedies poorly played, of passion in teaching and good students, of an aging uncle and the genetic family, of chess  games played and tears and laughter, as in all of life.

The memories increase as the twirling world sweeps around the sun. May the new year be better... .