Seeing the old year out.

The old year, frankly, stank.  So even though I am looking forward to seeing the new year in, I am more grateful that the old year is almost out.  It was not a good one in many ways though some may argue that if you wake up in the morning, then you should count your blessings.  I agree mostly.  I look back at the year selfishly in one way and think about all I should have done and didn't, all the missed opportunities, and the failures, but what hurts me more than anything else -- and  anyone who has experienced this would agree-- is the loss.  My mom dying right before Thanksgiving crushed many in my family.  Each year though, as relatives age, we will be faced with death.  The sad thing is too that since I work with teenagers who believe there is no death for them at their ages, there will also be young people who die, though I pray diligently daily that it doesn't happen.  Some of my youthful optimism has faded with age, but I still consider myself not to be a cynic or pessimist.  I have, and I think this is natural for people as they age, become more of a realist.  It isn't pessimistic to realize that life is about loss as much as, if not more so, than gain.  We are all falling toward entropy.  So, if I had to give a final crossbyte for the year, it would be this.  "You will lose almost everything you have ever known and love, but if you do not appreciate it while you have it, you have lost it already."