Closing out 2009

Istijlál (Majesty), 1 Sharaf (Honor), 166 BE – Thursday, December 31, 2009 about 3:38 PM Pacific Time

An eventful and interesting year draws to an end. I end the year with one olive and two stone pine trees in my yard. I end the year without a vacation home parked in my yard. I end the year with a complete set of dentures.

During 2009 my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and my doctor found a lump in my breast. Mom now takes medication for Alzheimer's, which is supposed to slow the progress of the disease. I have an appointment with a breast specialist on Monday, January 4, 2010 at 12:30 PM, with an arrival time at 12:00 PM.

In some ways, 2009 was less stressful then 2007 or 2008, but in other ways more stressful. I am looking forward to 2010, but then I always look forward to a New Year. A New Year is like a new loaf of bread there are so many sandwiches that you look forward to making and eating them.

I never know whether a year is going to be good, bad or somewhere in between. I have to live it one day at a time. Some days are good and some bad, but all those days go into making the year. I am looking forward to 2010 with hope and faith.

Midweek Reflections Wednesday, June 17, 2009

‘Idál (Justice), 13 Nur (Light), 166 BE – Wednesday, June 17, 2009 about 2:06 AM Pacific Time

It's Wednesday again. Hump day and the week is half over. This is June the sixth month of the year and 2009 is half over. I realized today that I don't actually remember very much of 2007. It was a stressful year and I'm surprised I remember anything at all about it.

This realization occurred to me when I was checking the contents of my port at writing.com. Of course, my Mother spent most of 2007 in the hospital, so I'm surprised I remember anything at all about that year. Anyway I found two poem I wrote in January and February and realized I didn't remember writing them, but I know I wrote them.

It's up setting realizing that an entire year is a fog of chaos and worry. I know that the stress of what occurred that year is the reason I don't remember a lot of what went on. You see that was the year my Mother turned 86 in the operating room. Mom's recovering nicely and this year she turned 88.

Many other things happened this week, but the memory thing is the most important. It shook me up that an entire year just seemed to be in a fog. The incidents I do remember occurred in stressful moments. I think Mom and I are still recovering form 2007. Oh well, life goes on moving from week to week, from Wednesday to Wednesday and we must handle the stress that comes with living.

Looking forward to a better year in 2009

Kamál (Perfection), 18 Masa’il (Questions), 165 BE – Monday, December 29, 2008 about 8:53 AM Pacific Time

I am looking forward to a better year in 2009. Despite parts of 2008 being as stressful and difficult as 2007, for the most part it was a better year. My attitude was part of the stress; I did not attempt to look beyond the roadblocks that appeared in my path. Things happened during 2008 I could do nothing about and I did not take some of them very well.

I have come to realize that the only way to make 2009 better is to change my attitude and expect good things to happen. Tests and difficulties are a part of the transformation process and I must view them as such. Instead, I viewed some of those tests and difficulties as roadblocks intended to stop my progress.

I have noticed in the past few days, that the end of 2008 is much better then the end of 2007. At least, on a personal level, but I still have a long way to go. One thing I have been doing is making daily entries in my gratitude journal. I attempt to find at least ten things each day to be grateful for and list them in my gratitude journal. So far, I have found at least ten things to be thankful for each day.