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And Beyond. . .

Can you believe it is 2009? What happened to 2008? It was a pretty extraordinary year to say the least. But like all things, the year has come and gone, and all we can do is move on. The opening days of 2009 have been interesting, both for me on a personal level and for the nation as a whole. We anticipate the New Year because of the opportunity it offers us to start fresh - we eagerly wait for the hands on the clock to change from 11:59 to 12:00 believing that the passage of a moment will change the hands of our lives, refreshing the spirit by enlivening our hope for things to come. But, when we bade farwell to 2008 - the gloom and misery of our situation did not fade. It seems that the spirit of hope has been undermined by our current predictament - we are in disarray, trying to find our way through the uncertainty as we remain fearful of what is and what is to come.

Perhaps though, this is the best way to start the new year. In the muddle, we can make a lasting new years resolution. We have a task. A task to heal the ails of a faltering economy, a chance to re-access our values, an opportunity to get back to the basics - to work hard, and serve others - a task to enjoy life at this very moment. Since we don't know what tomorrow holds we must embrace today. We must do the things we can do today and cast aside worries about those we cannot. How we act today will determine our tomorrow because at some point, every tomorrow becomes a today, and every today becomes a yesterday. And in this never-ending passage of time, all we have is NOW.

My New Years Resolution is to live simply and to enjoy the moment. I travel a lot these days. Right now I am in California; Carolina on the weekend; Bermuda in February then off to New Jersey and eventually back to Holland. I am constantly packing my bags to a new destination. I hate packing - but it helped me realize how invaluable material possessions are. I used to stress about what I would take with me - whether I would be in want of something I forgot. But I realized that we aren't what we pack in our suitcases; we are what we hold in our hearts. There is no place for anger, fear, or anxiety - we must reserve all of our hearts for love and hope. We must use that love and hope as we serve others and move forward in life.

The muddle that started 2009 offers us an opportunity - opportunity to make it better by focusing on now - where we are, what we are doing, and who we are with. All things will get better in time.

xx rache

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