Rave....Fresh Start!

I've probably posted this before, but I'm a big fan of the new year...I like the idea of a fresh start, with all of it's implications. This year especially, has promising and challenging possibilities. Of course every new year begs for weight loss, more exercise, etc, but for me, I'm looking at the bigger picture.

My daughter and our two grandgirls are still with us after 2 years. She is a chef now, with a real job in the last week! She continues to work on her own catering business when possible. The girls are healthy, happy, and well adjusted...a no-brainer 2 year investment gone good!! The chances of them being able to get on with their own lives away from Grandma and Grandpa's house is promising in the months to come. The whole experience has been one of emotions that range from A to Z, as any blended family knows, but I feel blessed that we were able to be here for the support and love they needed.

One of the most challenging parts of the year will be dealing with losing my healthcare coverage in June, and being too young for Medicare. As you know, if you've followed my blog before, I will be 5 years into my retirement from 30 years of nursing. I have been working tirelessly for healthcare reform since 2008. I'm disappointed that we haven't found what I think would be best for America, a single payer/universal health care system, but am glad that we are at least moving forward for now. We are up against one of the most conservative, rooted in the ideology of the 1940/50s, and compassionless Congresses in a long time...You will hear more from me on this subject!!

The other no-brainer challenge, is that we make sure that the president has another term to complete his plan to bring the country out of the aforementioned old fashioned, proven to be wrong, economy busting plan of past administrations. We can't let the same 'good 'ole boys' ruin it another time....we won't do well with another disaster like we just experienced. The pundits say don't blame them, Obama had all this time to make it right....well, he actually did turn it around fairly quickly. What most people don't know is, it takes at least one administration to get out of the hole from the last one and another to fix it, and we're already on the road!! More to come on this subject as well, as we can't afford not to look at it.

To keep the 'promising' part going strong, we need to work hard and focus to bring about that 'hopey' thing that got lost in the shuffle....whether you have been hurting, disgruntled, disillusioned, or whatever you're feeling....don't give up on the process.

As Dr. King said: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."