Happy New Year

Happy 2009!

I have such big hopes for this New Year. A new president, a new chance to make this country great again.

I'm also so grateful for so many things. This time of year provides a wonderful opportunity to reflect. We're constantly blasted by the news on how many people have not and how horrible this recession is. Let's face it, though, compared to many other countries, even our very poor are rich by their standards. Whenever I'm feeling the "I wants", I want something, I think about an experience Young One and I had volunteering. We went to Feed My Starving Children. A fantastic organization that packages and ships life sustaining food to people who are starving. They show you a video before you begin working that talks about just how very hungry these people are. So hungry, in fact, that mothers make mud cakes to ease the hunger pains of their children. One of these mud cakes is framed on the wall. I can't imagine that hunger, nor can I imagine what these mothers feel when their children are crying out and they can do nothing.

As a young child, I spent some time with the Russian immigrants who owned the land we drove through to access our hunting land. I have two clear memories of time with them. One, being told not to drink the large glass of "water" that they would offer me as it was homemade vodka. And second, I remember complaining to my parents about how I was "starving" and could we please hurry up and GO! Very quietly, Fedor said, "Ah, but have you eaten grass?" I've never forgotten that moment.

My goal this year is to help the hungry. It's not a resolution. It's something I've always done, but something I feel I can do more of. Because I have so much, I have so much to give.

Happy New Year to You! May this be a time of good reflection and much happiness.

I have no idea why the spacing won't work on this post. I'm not going in to edit the HTML because I'm too tired and I don't think I should have too. Dang Blogger, get this error fixed, please!