Happy New Year!

Greetings! The new year has arrived, closing the door on a very turbulent 2009. Last year brought us quite a bit to contend with... horrific natural disasters, terrorist attacks, economic chaos and instability, unthinkable crimes like senseless murders of young children, record unemployment and even the shocking death of one of music's most celebrated icons. That was last year.

Today is the beginning of a new year, indeed, a new decade. Many of us have made resolutions whether we fully intend to keep them or not. Some have not the hope needed to inspire them to attempt to embrace a new resolve. The country continues to struggle to make it's way out of the pit created over the previous 8 years and worsened during the past year, depending upon which side of the story you believe.

Personally, I have not made any resolutions for 2010. Unfortunately, I must admit that I'm one of those people who forget all about the promise I made to myself if I haven't accomplished it within 2 or 3 months. However, I do have hope. Hope for a better year, a better life and a better country. I hope that the politicians who say to us what we want to hear while they are begging for our votes abandon the political rivalries and personal agendas in favor of doing what is best for the people whom they have promised to serve and assist. I hope that those who are suffering the most because of job loss, being homeless, fighting a catastrophic or chronic illness (which is often times the same thing), fighting a relentless enemy overseas while on a 3rd deployment in a war that seems to have no end, or have some other struggle that is overwhelming, find some semblance of peace, happiness and prosperity. I hope for the best for everyone.

Did you make a resolution this year? What do you hope for in 2010? How will you make it happen?

You don't have to have all the answers right now. You do need faith and perseverance. Hold on to your dreams and work on making them come true often and relentlessly. It may take a little longer than you would like for that dream to come to fruition, but if you give up, it never will.

Let me tell you a short story. My mother decided that she was going to grow an apple tree from seeds from an apple from the grocery store. I didn't think she could grow an apple tree from seeds in the dry, dusty yard devoid of rich soil. She planted the seeds and watered them faithfully. Sure enough, a tree began to grow. I was probably in my early teens at the time. I grew older as did the tree. Once it was full grown, we waited to see if it would bear fruit. I moved away, joined the Army, and came home to find that the tree still had no fruit. Still, Mom tended the tree as if it yielded fruit enough to make her proud. Though I can't tell you when it finally happened, that tree has been full of small green apples every year now for some time right there in the same soil that seemed so non-conducive to such a task. My mother made her little dream of growing her own apple tree come true by fertilizing and watering it and never giving up on it. She has a peach tree beside the apple tree now that she grew in the same manner.

If you've planted a seed for something good and worthwhile, I hope and pray that it grows and bears fruit. Let's make 2010 the year our dreams bear fruit due to our continued cultivation of them. May peace, joy, and prosperity be yours in over abundance! Be blessed.

P.S. Check out Star Jones' 2010 Resolution Handbook on her blog. I like it.