...are firstly to wish you a TRULY wonderful new year. It's been quite a year in the Tibbles residence. For several months we had no home, loss of jobs meant not only leaving our home yet also not being in a financial position to even store our furniture which meant giving it away. Yes, we could have sold it yet we chose to give it away to folks who needed it and the payback I cannot express in words here. Paying it forward is what we all came here to do (took me many years to actually 'get' that) and our gift to others has indeed come back to us in measures we could not have imagined. From those who offered us shelter when we were homeless, to those who helped us financially and with gifts of food and Xmas fare (both here and in the UP) we are Blessed and have no regrets whatsoever; the kindness of others is testimony to the human spirit that often appears neglected when we view life via the media that seems to focus on material wealth, the cruelty of life and that (we) are unimportant unless you are famous and is why we rarely watch television these days although finally getting ourselves connected again via Comcast weirdly makes me feel like I am back in the human race, LOL and got all nostalgic flicking through the basic TV channels seeing Arthur, WGN News and CBS Channel 2 which was the first American TV station I saw when arriving in this country on New Year's Eve back in 1997 and who would have thought that the very same station would be filming the release of Metra Engine 401 into service, named after Oliver "Ollie" Tibbles in May of 2005 following the Make A Wish Grand Ball where I was the guest speaker.
Reflecting on much today yet mostly this past year, we've been homeless, been showered by kindness, tormented and inspired by the behavior of others out of which we have grown as human beings, reminding us once again that faith and the belief that anything is possible when you hold hope and truth in your heart. I have watched with immense pride my children Jessica and George bloom and flourish as I stand on the sidelines, witnessing via facebook mostly, their trials and tribulations yet they rise above it all with grace, humor and wisdom far beyond their young years. The challenges presented to Jen and I have caused injury to our relationship, yet the POWER of love always wins and we are still here, stronger than ever. Later this month marks the time we met 6 years ago and for the privileged few who know the story of HOW that came to be, we often laugh with much fondness at the memory and no doubt will irritate my future grandchildren, or rather their parents when as the eccentric old person I know I am going to be, will happily share the story to all and sundry at family gatherings. After all, that's what grandparents do right? *wink*
I have made mistakes this past year. I make mistakes every year. When I think about it, I don't believe I've ever had a year where I could say "It was a perfect year." I mean, with no mistakes. Is that possible even? Yet I believe as I always do, that we act, respond, make choices in the moment that our gut, instinct, or whatever you want to call it, allows us to feel and if the feeling says 'go'....then I respond. It's so strong I can't ignore it and no matter the outcome, I don't regret the choices I made because much goodness arose out of them, even with the unforeseen consequences. The other side of this is that when we feel asked to move in a certain direction that doesn't make sense yet you go with it anyway, you are acutely aware of your faith being tested and even though I BELIEVE, the test takes you further because your loved ones, family and friends are not always on the same wavelength and that in itself causes harm on many levels. Communication is key and even though lines can get crossed, the important thing is to just keep talking; try to get through, so eventually people have an opportunity to be heard and the airwaves are alive again with humanity understanding.
The human mind continues to fascinate me; one minute I'm thinking about work, my kids, the suffering of a friend I have never even met, the next my tummy flips as I recall memories of the night before with Jen and then I recall a conversation with a lovely old chap I met in Hospitality yesterday who upon noticing my accent shared with me (he's 82) his time stationed in England during the second world war where he was a pilot and how he met and fell in love with his wife (now passed) and how much they enjoyed their walks in the English countryside. He wept as I stood folding towels and I walked around and asked if he would like a hug, ""I'm a good hugger you know." I said. And he responded, "You British ladies always are." He then introduced me to his daughter who is also British and married an American, just like her Mum. Moments like these remind me of LIFE and how precious it is and how important and connected we all are, even when we don't realize it. Here's to another year of such moments, I welcome you 2012 with much love and anticipation of what you will bring to me and my family.
