Deep Winter

At the closing of another year we often stop to ponder our lives and cajole ourselves into being optomistic about the coming year. I believe by definition, this is an act of insanity, which someone once said is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. How is it that we can do this to ourselves, every year? Perhaps it's just the grip of deep winter or the overcast weeks we've been having. Weather really does play a big part in our lives here.

Today the sun has finally broken out of the clouds for more than 5 minutes and is raising our hopes for what is yet to come. It only takes a few minutes and we forget all about the darkness of the past. We can see the mountains in the distance and the naked trees and glittering snow covered surfaces in the clear daylight and we turn our faces to that shining orb in the sky and smile.

While you're waiting for the clock to strike midnight tonight, step outside and bathe in the moonlight. Stare at the stars and smile. And expect next year to be the same as this one for once; full of life, ups, downs, good, bad, surprises and mundane daily dishes. And may you love every minute of it.