Will the New Year bring any changes to benefit us?

Have you ever noticed, the various medias always have some show/s that review the past year's events as we turn the page of the calendar, eventho we all lived it. And probably still remember it somewhere in a mind? Is it because they think people want to remember the bad stuff, or rejoice in the good stuff all over again? I don't know. Yes there some really memorable events that took our breathe away, or stunned us, or made us tear-up, or made us angry, or just made us smile. Yes there were some of those times in 2024. Some I'd like to totally forget, but some I love to hear about. Maybe that is the effect the medias is after. Again, I don't know.

BUT, just so you don't forget I am going the list some of the events I remember and want to remind you of MY high and low points of the last (well almost last) year.

• Homelessness rose and more in veterans
• Drug overdoses deceased to an all time low
• Phoenix Fire Department lose more retirees than any other year, mainly to cancer
• The Arctic ozone healed itself more rapidly than expected by scientists thought it would
• More corporations are switching to EVs for deliveries like Amazon and the U.S.P.S.
• Fighting is still going on in Ukraine and the Middle east
• Republicans gained control of the house and senate as Trump gets a head start on his control
• The Political shift is going on all over the world because people are not happy with the previous controlling party or candidates
• The birth rate in China and the USA has deceasing but in India it is shooting sky high
• Scientists are getting very close to finding a way to slow and/or stop cancer
• Cost of food and housing is still high for many families
• Disastrous weather events are becoming more common

Now if the media has their same 'Review of the previous year' (which I am sure they will) next year, it will probably have the same type of events or something similar. 

2024 was a time of major changes in the political arenas all over the world, a time of distrust and angry, but also a time of good things like the reopening of the Notre Dame cathedral after the devastating fire.  I am hoping we can find that cure for Cancer and stop the mass shootings of innocent people, discover a peaceful way to stop the destructive and cruel wars in Ukraine and the millennia long fighting in the Middle East. I am hoping for people to settle their differences peacefully and understand others are different, but the same in body and needs. Understand their side of life's problems and come to a happy medium and accept them as brothers and sisters. Agree to disagree but acceptance. 

I know, I am a dreamer, but it does not hurt to hope. We ALL can play a part in that. I am not saint but try daily to be friends with everyone and understand them and their ways and beliefs. Sometimes it is hard, but I try.

As I get older, I finally realized, we individually CAN make changes in ourselves and possibly other too. It just take patience and an open mind. You don't have to agree but just understand.

ALL of this shows me, all things good and bad are not eternal, including us.

Have a Happy, healthy and fruitful New Year and may God bless all of us in this coming year. Take care and stay safe.

A site of Nature to behold

There are many thing in life that just astound, amaze, and humble me.  The laughter of a child, watching an Eagle soar above, the playing of the National Anthem, and the birth of a new baby. Recently, some out of state guests visited us. We drove to outside of Page AZ. to see one of God's and Mother Nature's wonders, Antelope Canyon. It is on the Navajo Nation Reservation and they operate tours under ground and through the slot canyon which has been craved with water and wind in the sandstone canyon.

It takes a little less than a hour to walk through the swirls and curves of the canyon probably 50 feet below the surface of extremely fine reddish-orange residue sand. Guided by a Navajo, he described the forming and heritage of their native lore to us, along with some of Navajo history and beliefs. One image was the lady in the wind. Another was a Buffalo head.

 

There were stairs and ladders to climb but always with rails to stabilize your climbs up and down. Nancy and I were there some 10 years ago when the company just started. Since then the visitor ship has jumped tremendously, but still amazing the second time. When I asked our visiting guests what they thought about our tour, they could only answer "WOW". And I agree it is a WOW moment.

If you get a chance to go to Antelope Canyon, just south of Page AZ and Lake Powell, I suggest you make arrangement to spend the night or two in Page and get reservations ahead of time for  the cooler months. I promise it will WOW you too.

Nancy and I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas a Happy and healthy New Year. May God bless you all, take care and stay safe.

Where do I start?

Way back, in December 2008, I posted my first blog. It was about an old Ford I turned into a beautiful custom car. I am not bragging, just saying. It had been a long spell since my last book I published and six years since I retired from the fire department. I had just sold my woodworking business and decided to restore and build cars as a break from actually working. Something I had a passion are all my life. You know, just having fun? And also,  a few months from losing our oldest son.  For a time I felt really lost and had a hard time feeling almost anything.  Some pretty crazy thoughts came into my screwed up brain, which none were acted upon. I believe writing helped me release some of those thoughts and I realized, I was not as alone as I thought. There were others out there who were having those same, and even crazier, thoughts too. Maybe it was because I did not have a 'JOB' to do, or a reason to get up and go do something I liked. Not necessarily work to be paid for, like a store, plant or office job. Just a purpose in life. Heck, I finally realized I had been working since I was 8 years old, picking cotton in Alabama. Then selling newspapers on a windy corner in Cincinnati, working in a drug store through out middle and high school, and then into the Air Force for 6 years. 

I believe, all that time, I was looking for I was really meant to do and be, for me, and not copy what my parents did, or what people said I should do to be successful in life. I wanted to do something for ME. Of course making money was pretty important too, but loving my work and feeling a proud accomplishment in the finished product was what I was after. Like a small child feels when they run to you to show their crayon drawn picture they are so proud of. I believe (whether anyone ever reads this or not) writing this blog helps me see my proud accomplishments, and believe me, I am not stopping. Does all of this make sense to you?

But there are many people out there who are still in that dark place with no focus, feeling lost not only in their job, but in life itself. People who boast about their accomplishments, while deep down inside they don't really feel that great about it. I guess it is a effort the raise their self image, or trying to impress someone. 

While I was on the fire department as a new firefighter, I found as I would rove from one station to another each shift, I would have to prove myself to the regularly assigned firefighters at that station. This went on for several years until I built up a reputation as a solid firefighter. But now I think that is a common occurrence or trait no matter what job you have. So we have to find our place with others, AND in ourselves. Of course God did not give us an instruction manual for that, so we have to make it up as we go and hope it works. I think mine did.

Life is a mountain, and we all have to climb it. We will fall and sometime slide backwards, but we have to get up and keep climbing. I read somewhere, you have to fail 100 times before you get to your goal and be good at it. But I guess that goal is you have to feel good about yourself and never, NEVER give up on that goal. Keep it in the cross hairs of your focus.

I deeply appreciate you reading my ramblings and truly hope you are in a good place in life. As someone said, "Life is a bitch."  But I believe you are strong enough to handle it. Take care and stay safe.