ADIEU 2007

ADIEU indeed....

Those who share my ramblings, warped humor (lol)adventures, life challenges and rants know 2007 was for me, an "annus horribilis " (as Queen Elizabeth once said of a year). I lost several people who I'll never stop missing. I nearly lost others. Too much time in hospitals & waiting rooms. Too many 'late nite bad news' phone calls. I've not carried around so much kleenex every day since I was 13 and stuffed my bra... (remember I did admit to my warped humor).

But I'm not writing an epilogue to sadness here - at years end.

Instead I think it's actually an acknowledgement of the fact that lives shared tho incredibly painful once the 'sharing' is lost - still leaves forever intact the memories made.

I'm counting myself lucky that the 'close calls' gave me time. Time to think. Think about making time for people I love. As I've pondered it over the past months I've come to think that 'close calls' are calling cards fate sometimes leave to remind we mere mortals to 'slow down' and make memories. Tick tock tick tock.... There's no such thing as ENOUGH TIME, but there IS such a thing as WASTED time, WASTED opportunities. Control fate? Never. Control choices? Always.

So in the past year, I've been reminded (both gently and with ball bat force) that time waits for no-one (a good lesson). I've learned to strive for a better balance of the studio business and its endless needs with 'life' - family, friendships, husband, goals, day-to-day responsibility. I'm perhaps even more insane for the learning, lol. Yet better. Oddly enough more calm.

The last year has been an exercise in drinking deeply of the small, unsung pleasures that life leaves at our doorstep. I've always been an ardent advocate of enjoying the small bits of life, so I was surprised to learn how much more I could gather from each day, with a bit more discerning effort.

I think looking back on this past year that it IS true that difficult times yeild the most growth. Certainly we learn and expand in good, happy safe times too. But the fire of crisis seems (for me at least) to harden/temper the depth and resolve of lessons learned. Sharpen the eye, hasten the urgency. Crisis is a real window into the inner workings ones heart as well (but that's, well, an entry for 2008) :-)

Thanks to you - you who've weathered this year with me - Those who've given help to my heart, homes to my art, laughter to my warped humor. The jouney's always better when shared. Each of your unexpected email, notes, parcels, phone messages made some of the hardest days of this past year easier than you will ever know. Thank you.....

Here's to 2008! More melting (glass), hopes for less crisis, (tho more well learned lessons) and of course, lest you think differently, continued warped humor!!

PS Rob says THANKYOU for all the emails of offers for cookies**, roflmo He's hoping you'll force me into baking next year (wanna take bets!? rofoma)**Confused? check the previous November posts)