. . . It was the best of times--It was the worst of times

 I find the first few lines of Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, appropriate to describe the past decade.

Ten years ago tonight I was in Paris, standing at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, sipping French champagne, ooooing and aaaahing over the fireworks and welcoming in a new Millennium.  A lot has happened in these past ten years...........both good and not so good:

• My parents are now both gone 
• I began to pay attention and realize that writing truly was my passion
• I discovered how very difficult it was to get published
• Our country experienced the horrific events of 911 which would leave all of us with a loss of innocence
• Ray retired and we relocated to Cedar Key
• My oldest grandchild graduated high school as Valedictorian and secured a four year scholarship to Worcester Poly Tech
  
• I turned the big 6-0 . . . In my favorite city in the world, Paris
• I was offered a two-book contract with a traditional New York publisher
• We experienced a serious health problem and surgery with Ray
• My daughter, an LPN, began college working toward her RN degree
  
• My oldest son was diagnosed with lung cancer
• My novel was released with more very good book news following
• My youngest son met a wonderful girl from Paris
  
• My oldest son relocated to Cedar Key

And during these years, a million other things happened..............

The ups, the downs.  And tonight, as I reflect back I have to say, call me Pollyanna, but I still strongly feel all of the good outweighed the not so good.  Because to think otherwise would be to deny myself all that my journey has given me.  And what a journey it's been!  I've savored it, I cried over it, I rejoiced in it and most of all...........I treasure all of it.

I've made so many new friends, many of which was due to my blog and now my book signings and events.  I've met a lot of you in person and so many of you I feel like I've known forever.  I've traveled to new places, had new experiences, tried new things, learned an incredible amount of information from politics to technology to human nature. I even developed my own personal motto. 

And so as this decade now comes to an end, I want to leave you with my wish for you:  In 2010..........May you laugh more, love deeper, be kinder and most of all, be aware of all the good that surrounds you. 

Because it IS that good that you'll readily recall when this decade comes to a close.  Tonight I focus on the good and my motto:

"Believe in yourself ~ And make great things happen!"

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  HAPPY 2010, my friends!