I planned on writing in December, but time ran away from me. My plan was to publish another Christmas story, but I was not able to finish the story by Christmas, so I will put it up later this year. Hopefully.
Time. There's never enough of it, especially as I become older. Responsibilities and to-do's add up. Time for fun diminishes. Every day I feel like I'm racing against the clock, even on Sundays when I have no work or class. It's like the end of "Bram Stoker's Dracula" where Harker's men are chasing after Dracula to his castle at sunset. The men hope to destroy Dracula before nightfall when the vampire regains his full powers. For those of you who haven't seen the movie or read "Dracula", I won't give anything specific away. The point is that every day I feel like Harker chasing after Dracula, just barely able to accomplish what I set out to do.
There is a lot going on in life, most of which needs no explanation here. Those of you who are close to me know what's up. I'm most looking forward to graduating from school, celebrating Angie's wedding, and visiting Caroline's family this year. Life is a gift that I try not to waste. Some days are up, some days are down, and most days are both. All I can do is make the most of each day. Make lemonade with lemons. One of my former classmates was recently diagnosed with leukemia and is undergoing chemotherapy. She is in tremendous pain every day. I think of her daily and hope that one day she can look back on these dark days with no recollection of the physical torment she experienced on the road to recovery. How quickly life can change from normal to something we never expected.
2013 began with the fiscal cliff crisis and President Obama's inauguration. I am concerned for America's future. Political gridlock, soaring debt, and a sluggard economy have hindered a country that was once at the top of the world, at least economically. Opportunities are sparse and disillusionment is high. In these times we need to keep our hopes up and spirits high, despite the gray reality of everyday life. I'm focusing on discrete steps I can take each day to accomplish my goals. Like what Richard Dreyfuss told Bill Murray in "What About Bob?", I'm taking baby steps.
Come baby step with me into a bold new year.
