Happy New Year!

I've been reading other blogs about how people have fared over this past year and it's made me think about my own life. Everyone has their ups and their downs. I'm very grateful that right now, things are going well in my own life.

I feel loved.

That's huge. Some people search their whole lives looking for that feeling. I just started thinking about the people I could list that I am absolutely sure love me and I can count on. It's about ten cherished souls. I am so grateful.

I feel like I've come through a dark tunnel at last.

Part of this year has been really hard. Harder than I ever thought I'd have to deal with. Death, loss of friends, uncertainty in life... it all just feels like a huge weight sometimes. But, God really does heal through time. The hurts don't really disappear, but they stop feeling so gut-wrenching and the tears become less frequent.

I guess I'm just sitting here tonight feeling happy. Happy that I can love. Happy to feel loved. Happy to be holding my loved ones close. Happy for all the small things that I cherish in life. It's a wonderful way to start the new year.

I'll close this post with the words a friend of mine shared on Facebook today. I found the words to be very moving. They are words from a Jewish prayer book.

May we lie down this night in peace and rise up to life renewed. May night spread over us a shelter of Peace, of quiet and calm, the blessing of rest.

There will come a time when morning will bring no word of war, or famine or anguish; there will come a day of happiness, of contentment and peace.

Praise be the source of joy within us, for the night and its rest, for the promise of peace.