It’s officially here. 2010. A brand new year. What will it bring?
This past decade has burned a place in my heart forever. It started with a move from the city to the country. The fresh air and green pastures were a blessing. We bought our daughter a horse. Then another. And another. We built a barn. Cut and bailed our own hay. Planted a garden. Got involved in our wonderful community and made a new life for ourselves.
Then I lost my strong, courageous, beautiful sister to leukemia. A five year battle she fought to the bitter end. She was too young. I still grieve for her.
My two children grew up. A lot. Accomplished many, many things. Made me proud.
My writing evolved and is still evolving. I realized you never reach a point where it’s “there.” With each book I’ve started and/or finished, it’s seemed like kindergarten all over again. The beauty and power of words still touches me. Books are as important as they ever were. I’ve learned to appreciate them in a different way, I think.
Life has moved forward, sometimes at a crawl, sometimes so fast it seems blurry and hard to remember. Important lesson: PAY ATTENTION. To everything. All the details and intricacies that make life brilliant and fun and joyful and surprising.
Now I look forward to this new year, a shiny new beginning. I feel hopeful and, if I’m honest, a tiny bit scared.
Happy New Year, everyone!
S. K. Van Zandt 