Merry Christmas to my Active Rain Friends

This is a time of year when we think of the past and are excited about the future. This past year has been a challenging year for many of us while some have actually had their best year yet. I wish that were my case, but I am in the basket with the challenged. I know our challenges make us grow and I have learned so much in the past couple of years. I never thought I was a person who took things for granted and wasted the things I had. I can tell you that I no longer take things for granted. I appreciate all I have and doubly appreciate all those I love.

I could not write this post about this year without mentioning my precious Mama. She was my best friend. I always knew that people are not with us forever. We all have our time here on earth and we are each here for a reason. My Mom only wanted to be a mother and she was. She said that is what made her the happiest. So each day she showed me love and appreciation. What a gift to me! February 18 she was called home to Heaven.  I know she is not suffering now, but I miss her so.

As we look forward to the new year, I hope you will take the time to love. There are many kinds of love and different people need different kinds of love. Be there for those you care for and let them know you care. You might not get another chance.

Be optimistic about the new year. We don't know what will happen to us or for us, but we should do the best with what we have. We are given our challenges for a reason and if we don't let them get the best of us, we  can move forward and not back. We can have a better life but a different life. Just like the butterfly breaking out of its cocoon and blossoming into something beautiful, I'm sure it did not know what the world had in store for it, but when it shed the layers of its old life, something beautiful and new came into existence.

May you have a very Merry Christmas and Holiday season and may your 2012 be the beginnings of something beautiful for you.