Happy New Year! 2016 is here!

Didn't 2015 just start? It's crazy how fast time seems to move along. I'm glad to embark on a new year, though. 2015, a year filled with positive changes, was also dotted with painful farewells. I said good bye to one writers group and attended another, changed career direction, and quit a choir I've been a part of for over a decade. None of these were easy decisions and with those changes, I risked friendships, most of which have survived. There were even times I considered quitting this writing career, but so many of my readers stepped in to encourage me to keep going. I'm doing just that, one day at a time. I'm pushing past the negativity I've encountered both internally and externally, so I can embrace more. More what? Well, that's what starting a new year will show me, day by day, and I'm looking forward to it. So, whatever challenges you're facing, don't give up. I've learned that sometimes the bigger prize is just over the other side of the rough-ridged mountaintop. Worse case scenario, I gain some wisdom via the painful process. For me, the prize was meeting a group of people so supportive, I think I'm in a beautiful dream. I know it's still possible to still encounter painful experiences, but I'm super grateful that there are more friends to help me through those times, and I can be there for them too. Happy New Year!