Creative Inspiration: The Ghost of New Year's Past

This is the final CI post for 2010. I'll see you back here in the new year!

I considered writing this post about Peggy or Duana, two wonderful women I loved and lost in 2010. But, Peggy wouldn't like sappy and Duana would flat-out smack me. So, in their honor ... here's a happy holiday memory:

My favorite New Year's Eve celebrations were the ones Mom put on for me and Harry and Eva when we were little. (Yes, Dad was there. But the parties were Mom's doing.) There were yummy hors d'oeuvres instead of dinner; Eva was especially fond of the frozen shrimp from Safeway. Mom made mock cocktails, orange juice and Collins mix. No drink has ever tasted better. There were noisemakers and games and Dick Clark at midnight.

There was happiness for all we were and hope for all we would become -- Mom and Dad were 100 percent certain their three kids would turn out special. They thought we hung the moon. Dad believed that his whole life. Mom still does, so I guess we've done all right.

And, of course, the reason we've done all right is because people like Mom and Dad expected nothing less. They believed in us. Now, that's a gift.

I hope 2011 is the year your dreams are strengthened and supported by people who realize just how special you are. May it be a year of good health and good work, of happiness and hope. May it be a year filled with the joy of companionship and the peace of solitude.

May it be a year where the joy we create honors the people we miss.

Thanks for being part of the CI team!

Love,
Jan