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My top priority with this post is to say thank you to my friends who read my often pointless ramblings and continue to return in spite of my whines, periodic disappearances, and inexcusably bad manners much of the time. The end of one year and beginning of a new one is a good time for saying thank you's and for expressing some good old-fashioned gratitude. I am deeply grateful to have so many good friends. I know that I can confidently call my readers my friends because this is what friends do: accept you with all your warts and stick around even when you are not keeping up your end of the bargain. I am humbled.
I normally engage in a bit of contemplation this time of year and this one is no exception. Naturally, the Queen of Fantasies is busily scheming and plotting all sorts of projects and experiments, along with newer and better ways to get into more than time and strength permits. It has long been my MO. I set myself up for umpteen projects, actually tackle two or three, and then complete one or two. I suppose I am afraid that if I took on only three challenges (like a more rational person would) that I would accomplish nothing. Funny how we develop coping methods as a child and some of us never outgrow them.
I have a few New Year's resolutions, but one big one that sets the stage for all the others. I have been blessed in life and with blessings far greater than I deserve. My goal in 2012 is to be better at expressing my gratitude. You know the prayer, "Help me be the person my dog thinks I am"? My prayer is "Help me be somewhat closer to the person who deserves all life's blessings that I have received and may the more deserving person whose blessings I have gotten by some cosmic mistake forgive me for my part in the error."
I will end 2011 with a heartfelt thank you to my friends on the web. May your New Year overflow with the best of days and may you find the strength to withstand the worst ones that slip in along the way. May your dreams grow ever more inspiring and your will to pursue them never falter. I look forward to continuing friendships in 2012. A toast to all of you.
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Very well put, as usual Anita! I look forward to meeting you in 2012! It is on the top of my list!!! :)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Anita :) may it shine for you and yours. Mary Ann
ReplyDeleteAnd a toast to you, my friend! You have accomplished a lot during the year, quite probably much more than most would, in any condition. I so hope 2012 will become a good year for you, not only creatively, but also in spirit and body.
ReplyDeleteWell said! Wishing you the best in the new year!
ReplyDeleteI think all who are here, able to do even a few of the things we enjoy or love, having opportunities of sharing this with friends, e-friends, family and loved ones have much to be grateful for. I often pause during my daily activities to send a thank-you thought out into the universe -- often it's when I have a camera in my hand.
ReplyDeleteMay you have a wonderful 2012!
Paul—I am glad to hear that I made it to your 2012 "to-do" list. I have looked forward to meeting you for a long time and this year would be perfect. Keep me posted.
ReplyDeleteMary Ann—What a joy to hear from you. I have missed you these long months now and so hope you will soon rejoin us on the web. Your voice was a welcome part of the conversation. Take care of yourself.
ReplyDeleteOve—Your wishes for me are the same as mine. I don't want to see doctors this year! I plan to be much too busy with art shows. By the way, I appreciate your kind remarks. Still, maybe I don't actually accomplish so much, but just report every little thing. I suppose I find childlike joy in making things happen even if they are very small things.
ReplyDeleteSteve—Thanks. I hope this year gets off to a marvelous start and never let's up.
ReplyDeleteEarl—isn't that the truth?! Looking through that viewfinder is a brilliant way of cranking up the gratitude response. Thank you, Earl, for the reminder of what joy and gratitude our passion can produce. May 2012 be one of your best ever.
ReplyDeleteI love the reference to dogs as judges of our character Anita. Recently we were watching a movie and there was a veterinarian scene with some dogs in cages that were barking and whining. Our malamute looked at the TV intently while she listened. While nothing was happening to the dogs, my wife and I both commented about how we were wondering what they were saying, and what our dog was hearing. Were they portraying humans in a bad way? At that particular moment, we were actually concerned they might be influencing our dog's impressions of humans.
ReplyDeleteOf course, she gets treated like a queen and doesn't seem to remember that little conversation with the next chew stick or run in the yard.
Not that they shouldn't in general be wary of our kind, we have done as a species some despicable things. I just love the philosophy "What would my dog think of me?"
Sorry for the rambling, it just came to mind upon reading your post.
I believe that gratitude, mutual respect of others and most of all our planet are the only things that can offer hope for the future. I'd say you are on a good path.
I like your new name, "Queen of Fantasies." We consider each other friends without meeting face-to-face, what a gift that is. We've grown to care about each other and have concerns when someone is absent (Mary Ann) or ill. We follow closely those who are traveling and with anticipation for reports and images of those locations they are seeing. I like your prayer for 2012. And, thank you for all you have gifted me with in 2011 through words and images.
ReplyDeleteAnd, a toast to you, Anita!
It sounds like you have spent some time and effort in setting goals for yourself in the coming year and it all sounds worthwhile. But your goal of expressing gratitude is not necessary as far as I'm concerned. I feel you have given of yourself to your work in the past year and that your gratitude to others has been well known. I see it in your writing and from the other commenter. My toast to you is continued success, health and prosperity in the coming year.
ReplyDeleteMark—I love your comment and your "rambling" was part of what made it special. Your story about the possible conversation of the dogs strikes a chord. As you observe, I am sure that much of the talk about humans would center around the despicable behavior of so many. Thank goodness your dog lives the sort of sheltered life that ours does. Perhaps we have to watch the "conversations" we expose them to.
ReplyDeleteThank you for adding your thoughts.
Monte—Your comment made me so glad that I had spoken my heart with this post. I appreciate your adding such lovely thoughts and hope to live up to the kind words. You are so right that while we don't sit in the room with one another, we get a peek into hearts and a piece of people's minds. It is enough to begin to care about one another. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteKen—You have made me happy to know that my sense of gratitude does come through here. I don't take a single reader for granted.
ReplyDeleteYes, I am setting goals. It's a cliché, but the end of year has pretty much always been a time of assessment for me. Normally, I evaluate what's working, what needs to be revised, and allow myself to dream bigger and better dreams for the coming year. I am not the most organized person around, so I need a bit of structure to minimize some of the aimless floundering about.
Nice to see you posting again Anita - glad you're back! Like you I tend to overdo goal-setting each year. This year I actually have more than the usual number but I feel all of them are attainable and I feel fairly confident of fulfilling them. I may post them on my blog, or I may keep them to myself. They say if you make it public it's more of a commitment. Probably true, but it also makes it your own personal embarassment if you don't reach those goals and no one else knows.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to continuing to read your fine blog.
John
John—Thank you for that welcome back. It is comforting to know that I am not the only one to "overdo the goal-setting".
ReplyDeleteLike you, I struggle with which goals I want to "publicize", or admit, and which ones I prefer to keep private. In the end, I tend to have no rhyme or reason to those decisions. This is not a plan I advocate to anyone. In my case, I just keep changing my mind about what works best.