Second Day of 2011

The new year arrived as I was rudely awakened at midnight by the sound of gunshots from down the road. Crazy neighbors were welcoming in 2011 with firearms instead of firecrackers. I was thankful to be indoors, as I rolled over and gave Phil a New Year’s kiss on the cheek, without rousing him from his sleep. I drifted back into la-la land, pondering the thought, “I wonder what 2011 will bring my way.”

On my Facebook page, I have been wished a Happy New Year by a number of my friends. One thing that struck a chord was that many of them commented the hope that 2011 will be a better year than 2010. It made me begin to wonder – was 2010 a bad year for so many, or are people merely striving for excellence in the coming year? How can 2011 be better? We lived through 2010 to welcome in a new year. What could be better than that, I ask.

2010 was a challenging year for me, but it was a great one. Who could ask for more? As I look at the open book of 2011, I see opportunities and more challenges heading my way. 2010 prepared me for this new year. In 2010, I learned that I can be a salesperson as I hawked my wares at the Saturday market. I broke out of my introverted shell as I interacted with strangers, making friends along the way, sharing my gardening and baking knowledge, teaching friends how to make rag rugs, and stretching my wings in my writing and photography skills. Money was scarce at times, but all our bills were paid, and as I look back at the year, I can see that I prospered.

The year also brought sadness and pain. My son’s beloved dog, Maddie, died, leaving a hole in all of our hearts. My dearly loved Aunt Agnes finally left us at the age of 103. Phil’s mother didn’t wake up one morning in October from her nursing home bed. I stumbled in my garden in July, leaving a jagged upside-down “L” shaped gash in my leg, requiring 20 stitches and a huge medical bill. My washer and dryer of over 15 years agitated and tumbled their last laundry load, again calling for a large expenditure of cash to replace them. These, along with other events, of lesser note and importance, brought tears and moments of introspection and contemplation.

And there were surprises in 2010. The biggest one of all was that I was offered a job in November. I was flabbergasted that I was invited for a second interview. For the past two years, if I made it to one interview, I was never asked back for the second. For some reason, this company wants me, and even with all of my excuses not to accept the position, they had a solution to every one of my roadblocks, including my part-time job of tutoring at the local college. The job offer was a decent one – a good salary, excellent benefits, and a job that is only 20 minutes away from my home. When I start my job on Tuesday at Amtico International, I look forward to this new chapter in my life, while I’ll still be able to leave early on Mondays for tutoring at Georgia Perimeter College. It all looks very promising for an interesting year.

I wonder what 2011 will bring? I hesitate to speculate or dream of what I wish for the year, because I know from experience that the surprises will out-number what I think will happen. With my notebook in hand, and my new camera around my neck, I’m ready for whatever the year brings down my country road.

Bring it on, 2011!