It has been a year like no other within living memory.

Life as we used to know it has become manipulated by interests far from home and people far from our daily lives, by media who spin a yarn as fantastical as the fairy stories of our childhood, peopled by wicked monsters and invisible dangers that would eat us all up, in a moment, if we dared to breathe or go outside to dance for joy in the sunshine and hug a child or loved one.

In this time of tribulation and stress, people’s thoughts have turned in different directions as they clung to hope and each other, wherever possible, whenever possible, as much as possible

It feels that we are at a turning point.

Some talk about the dawning of the Age of Aquarius.

Some saw significance in the rare conjunction of the Saturn and Jupiter around the time of the solstice, with the moon and Venus in close proximity, a reminder of the Star of Bethlehem, which was said to have shone illuminating the birth of Christ. We need a beacon of hope and life, an uplifting message that inspires our better self and gives a way forward into 2021, where life is victorious, overwhelming the darkness, disorder and dismay of 2020.

As we look forward and move forward, let it be into warmth and friendship of a better year for one and all.

A family visit over the Christmas festivities provoked a new look at things.

Two children came in tow with an older relative for a family visit over the festive season.

There wasn’t an option to say no, no opt -out was available. So, the only solution was to embrace the experience and make it enjoyable, make it as much fun as possible for the kids, the visitors and ourselves.

Mouths were fed. Hands washed. Out came the toys borrowed from a neighbour. We didn’t have any anymore.

We started entertaining our young guests. A ball and stick, a bit of space and a large helping of imagination are wonderful things. All it took was a few simple toys.

And then the laughter started. There is nothing like the sound of children laughing.
They were so giggling and joyous, at nothing really, as only children can be. And soon us old fogeys were laughing and genuinely having fun too.

Then some other information came out, something that I had no idea about.

The children had been adopted. Once they had been living on the street, homeless, begging for food in order to stay alive. One of the children was found, aged only 5, collecting bottles off the street to get money to buy food for herself and her parents. Her older sisters had been sold into prostitution. This was soon to happen to her.

It made me look at my own life, my own family circumstances, the people around me.
We were blessed. In ways I had never thought about.

There was enough food, there were clothes, there was shelter, children were born healthy and grew up into happy contributing members of society. We lived in a world that was stable, not war torn, gunned, poisoned with chemicals and burned by the scorched earth policy of an enemy.

There weren’t third generation children born deformed by their grandparent’s exposure to Agent Orange. Religious persecution wasn’t an everyday life or death matter. Living to a ripe old age is normal.

Yes I counted my blessings. And wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year too

As we come to the close of another year, I thought this message from Neil Gaiman was a great way to look at the New Year and how to go about what you will do in the coming year.
It’s not full of high goals or impossible New Year’s resolutions that won’t last past the middle of January. It’s not full of daydreaming fantasy nor depressing perfectionism.
I hope it will encourage you to reach for more and better and when we sit at this place this time next year, you will have had an interesting and worthwhile year.

Happy Hogmanay as we say in Scotland. Lang may your lum reek. Translation: Long may your chimney smoke, so wishing you plenty of fuel to keep your fire burning bright and you nice and warm in the cold and dark days of winter.

There is an old tradition in Scotland, called “first footing”. After midnight of the old year on 31st December, to bring you good luck, the first visitor to your house should be a young, dark-haired, handsome man.  And to ensure you stay warm, he brings a lump of coal. Also salt, black bun (a rich fruit cake) and a “hawf bottle” of whiskey. These represent warmth, wealth, food and good cheer.

Once entered into the home, a toast is offered to the house and all within it, using the important whiskey of which everyone should have a few wee drams on Hogmanay. The traditional taost is: “A guid New Year to ane an a’ and many may ye see”. This is a good New Year of one and all and many more may you see.

And that is my wish for you too in 2013.