My Wishes For The New Year

Yes, I know it's the third of January already. I also know that if I had written this on the first, many people would have been preoccupied with spending time with family or friends, which is as it should be, and would not have had the time or inclination to read my post. I have been thinking a lot in the last several days about what I would wish for the new year to bring to my family and friends, and to the people I don't know, for that matter. So here are a few wishes for all of us for this new year, in no particular order.

A wish for health. I know from personal experience how precious good health can be. When I was younger and in wonderful health, I didn't realize how fortunate I was. Then my health failed me. I learned what it was like to feel unwell a lot of the time, and how frustrating it can be to be at the mercy of a body that isn't consistently healthy and reliable. I know that I can deal with a lot more than I ever imagined. I also know that genuinely wishing someone good health is one of the best gifts that you can give them. No, it may not make any difference to their general condition, but it definitely shows that you care.

A wish for plenty. I've philosophized about this subject in previous blog posts. Does this mean I wish that all of us had loads of money? Not really. It just means that I wish all of us enough to fill our needs, with a bit left over. I hope that we will all be able to afford tasty and healthy foods to eat. I wish that none of us will have to worry about being able to pay for a place to lay our heads and call our home. I hope that we will all be able to keep that home warm or cool enough to be cozy, and have a place to wash our clothes and dishes and bodies. For me, feeling rich is about being able to do these things and still being able to have a little splurge or treat from time to time, like going to a movie, or buying a book, or some other thing that tickles my fancy.

A wish for peace and understanding. We all have different experiences and personalities and needs. I wish that all of us can have peace within ourselves, and peace with others. Understanding that all of us are different, but also essentially the same. We may look or act differently, but we all have the same basic human needs. May we all be able to love our fellow man.

A wish for happiness. I don't think this requires much explanation. The truth of the matter is that most people's lives lie somewhere on the spectrum between a Disney movie and one on the Lifetime Movie Network. We all experience sorrows and joys and triumphs and losses. I hope that all of us can weather our storms, and that they are minor ones, and still have joy. I hope we can also bring joy to the lives of others.

So there you have it. I wish you health, happiness, peace, and plenty. Let's all have a wonderful new year!