Rewind & Review

With the drop of the ball, it's time for everyone to flip the calendars, do a little rewinding of the previous year and review what lies ahead in the new year. My 2004 included life's standard highs and lows. I cried a lot, I laughed even more. I traveled many miles but I sat still and stagnant more than not. I talked a lot and sat in stifled silence. I grew while I felt I disintegrated.

There's a new year ahead but it's not the dates that I focus on. Instead, I see a future and I am optimistic that I will make decisions that will influence my continued growth. I was fortunate to experience a couple epiphanies last year and I want to sustain the enlightenment gained and use it to make my days happier and healthier.

Glorious memories from 2004...
*standing in a shower of "snow" from blooming cottonwoods in Zion National Park
*creating art with Dana in Jeffersonville
*meeting Michael for breakfast in Escondido
*taking a nude bath on my patio during post-hurricane rains
*assisting my father in his time of need in Alabama
*corresponding with wonderful people such as Tania, Mim, Leah and many others
*stopping to give gas to a young couple on a shiny, new bike in the Nevada desert
*sitting on park benches in the District with Chelle
*meeting people with similar interests through meetup.com
*collecting water from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans when I rode coast-to-coast from Jacksonville to San Diego
*learning that the polyp removed from my uterus was not cancerous
*riding along the "NorShor" of Minnesota and finally eating at Betty's Pies
*listening to my cats purr at home
*visiting Sylvie in Virginia--we were long overdue
*touring the National Postal Museum (laugh all you want my friends)
*experiencing South Dakota with Steve
*riding in the Ozarks and eating pecans on a porch with Danny
*sitting on a curb with Peter on a Friday night in Ft. Worth
*hugging motorcycling friends when we meet for lunches and dinners
*watching the surf and sunset with Doug in California
*taking a picture of Neil as we rode across a bridge to Mackinac Island
*standing in snow in Bryce Canyon Nat'l Park
*donating blood to help people in my community and donating money to Tsumani relief efforts in southern Asia
*sleeping in a tent on a cold night in a church yard in Minnesota
*drinking beer with Mike at the Kings Head British Pub in St. Augustine
*voting for the candidate I believed would best serve our country
*having dinner with Jo Anna and her family in South Carolina
*crying while riding through Joshua Tree Nat'l. Park then smiling in front of a cholla
*meeting a pack of bikers at Roy's in Amboy, California and exchanging jerky
*watching movies that made me think, feel, cry, laugh
*reading books that made me think, feel, cry, laugh
*learning from others and from the teacher within me

I welcome the making of more memories in the days ahead.