Summing Up Another Challenging Year

Today I put the bow on another year of the Hometown View, the 25^th I have done this daily segment in which I share my thoughts and views on a variety of subjects with you.  They are mine and sometimes don’t quite match yours which is fine because I believe it’s okay to agree to disagree as long as it’s done with the understanding that we are different and should respect one another’s opinions.

It is truly hard to believe that it’s been 12 months since I last shared end of year thoughts with you and that period has been unfortunately filled with more bad times than good, more sorrow than joy and likely more tears than laughter. 2021 saw us turn the corner of COVID for a while after vaccines were made available to the masses but as the year comes to an end a new variant has and will continue to upset our way of living.  The financial impact has resulted in highs and lows with inflation having a major impact on what we pay for goods and services…that is the ones you can get. More people than ever before depend on help from food banks and other resources and hunger continues to be a major problem in this country…something we should all be ashamed of.

Of course we are a nation divided by our views on vaccines, masks, politics, abortion and more. However if you’re an optimist you have likely found ways to make the best of it and despite challenges we all had moments that put smiles on our faces and gave us reasons to laugh…still the best medicine outside of a vaccine.  People went on vacation, babies were born, couples got married, kids graduated high school and college and people found good jobs.

I have learned as you get older that days, weeks, months and years fly by at an alarming rate and while you can’t stop Father Time each year you get to add another number to your age has in the very end been a pretty good one even if my sciatic nerve as still left me with a pain in my you know where. For now I will simply wish you peace and joy throughout the holiday season, a very Merry Christmas and good health in the New Year.  Here’s to a better 2022!