Good News for the New Year

Lots of happy news, and the year is only four days old. My friend in NY has completed her radiation treatments..... her voice has come back, and her doctor is talking about removing the trach that's been in her throat all these months. I haven't heard her "new" voice yet... she eMailed me to tell me that her voice isn't the same as what it was, but it's definitely there and she can definitely speak. When I read her eMail, I had tears in my eyes. Her voice was so much a part of her personality that losing it must surely have been like losing part of herself.

I told her to let me know when she's up to a telephone conversation and I will call her to have a real chat, not just an eMail back-and-forth thing. What a great way to start the year for her and her husband and her family.

My uncle in Arizona had a successful heart procedure done yesterday... they put in some stents (I think that's the correct spelling) and he's doing "just fine for a man of his age," as he says. He's in his 80s now, closer to 85 than to 80, I believe, and as a former Marine, he has always kept himself in tip-top shape. Of all my uncles, Uncle T was always the most fun, the favorite uncle to all the kids when I was growing up. He and Aunt M have two sons, and (just like my friends F and J in NY) their family unit was their number one priority. They did everything together, and made decisions based on the good of their own little family, as opposed to making-do with what the entire family wanted them to do. As a result, they've only grown closer over the years, and remain a strong family unit even though the sons now have families of their own.

My husband and I have been out to Arizona to visit them all, but it's been a while now since we've been there. Maybe it's time to get out there again. I'd rather see my uncle while he's feeling fine and fit, as opposed to waiting till the very end, if you know what I mean. I don't want to be like my older aunts, who don't travel to see people while they're alive, but will turn over every last stone to get to someone's funeral.

Old friends and new friends..... you just never know about friendships. People you think will be close to you for all of your life turn out to not be able to adjust to your life as it is now.... how do you keep a friendship going with someone who has pulled out of so many parts of your life? If there's no common ground to a friendship, then it has no basis... nothing to hold it up... nothing to keep it going. We all change from year to year, and heaven knows I've changed in the years I've been living in Texas, but in my opinion, those changes have been for the best. And, keeping the wisdom of the ages in mind, "those who don't change just wither on their own vine." I don't want to wither. I want to live.

I've worked very hard to become the person I am today, and I just can't allow anyone or anything to steam-roll over me and what I believe to be the best thing for me, for my little family, for our household and our life here. I'm sorry if that "standard" doesn't meet with the approval of some friends, but I'm not about to try and change anyone so I don't expect people to change me. Indeed, you can't change anyone but yourself anyway. People are who they are, and that's just the way it is. In the words of my husband's mom.... "No matter what happens in this world, life does go on in a sensible way."

Old friends that I thought were just a happy memory have come back.... and after a few tentative look-sees into one another's current life, there's reason and desire to try again and make new happy memories. There's a time for everyone and everything, I guess, and maybe it's just time.

Old friends that have passed away are still in our minds and in our hearts, and we think of them so often, as if they're still here. Indeed, when we have company here for a holiday, we look down our walkway and expect them (she) to be walking towards our door. She was always the first to arrive... the first to be party-ready... the first to make me really understand that I am just fine the way I am and I shouldn't ever be changing myself to please anyone but myself.

New friends that we've come to know better have surprised us.... with their willingness to include us with their long-time friends and their long-standing holiday traditions. Our decision to not give a big blast of a Christmas party this year led to three party invitations from new-found friends. Sure.... on one hand, we did miss not having our party, but on the other hand, we got to do different things and meet new people, which is never a bad thing.

My husband and I will be hosting the Valentine's Charades party again this year. How many years now? Five? Six? More? The guest list for that party started out with less than ten friends.... we are now up to 35. A large group, yes, but a happy, contented group of friends and neighbors who just plain come here expecting to have a good time for a few hours and everyone leaves with such happy smiles on their faces.

We indeed have a very blessed life. We have good health, and good friends, good pets and good times. And now that one of my most-favorite people on this planet is able to hear her voice again.... I just can't ask for anything better than that to start off this brand new year.

Happy New Year to you all..... I wish you good health, great friends, and many happy adventures for 2007.