January 1, 2014

Happy New Year!

I find, that no matter what kind of a year I’ve had, I am hopeful on January 1st. I believe that I suffer from terminal optimism. Seriously, the glass to me is always half full.

And I don’t tolerate well those who seek to cure me of this attitude.

For the most part, my life is good. Now, by that do I mean that we have lots of money and stuff? No. We’re doing ok financially, but only after a life time of struggling in that area. I have a dream to buy a new house, something on one level, with a yard flat enough I can walk, and thus work on flower beds. But that is a dream—well, a goal, actually—and until it is achieved you can be certain that what I am living in now is no palace.

But it is ours, and it is paid for and it is home. It is my home, and I love it. Life is good.

I have two surviving children, six surviving grandchildren—having lost one of each—and this past year I became a great-grandmother. I see some of them often and others not as often as I would like. But there are no major upheavals, no major animosities, none of the grandchildren are in trouble with the law, though a couple of them could stand a good swift kick in the ambition. But all in all, they’re good people (the oldest three are over 18 so they’re not children), with loving hearts. Life is good.

I and my brother are the sole survivors of my birth family. He was the eldest of the three of us, and I the youngest. Our parents died young, 46 for my dad, and 57 for my mom. We—my brother and I both—had it in our heads for a lot of years that we wouldn’t live long. Our father’s father passed when he was only 36 and our mother’s mother was but in her 40s. In our entire gene pool, only the family of my father’s mother had longevity as a component. Now here we are, I will be 60 and he 70 this coming July. Added to this, we get along fairly well and see each other on a fairly regular basis. Life is good.

I have been married for 41 and a half years to the same man. He’s not perfect, but then, neither am I. He does some things that really get me hot, and no, not in a good way. I, of course, return the favor. But here we are, still together, friends, mates, not always in agreement one with the other, but always there for each other. Life is good.

At a time in life when most people settle for hobbies and minor interests to keep them occupied after having survived major health challenges, I have a thriving, wonderful career. This coming February will see the publication of my 37th book. Not bad, considering my first came out in 2007.

This career has given me friends, and colleagues, every one of whom has enriched my life. I have written books, and my readers have written notes to let me know that my words, and my “town” have touched them and made their lives just a little bit better. They have given me many times over the joy they claim to receive from me. Every day is a good day, because I am never alone, never lonely, and always eager to see what might come next.

Life is indeed very good, and I am blessed, and highly favored!

I wish everyone a heart full of optimism, and a New Year that is ripe and rippling with new beginnings and wonderful opportunities.

Love,
Morgan
http://www.morganashbury.com
http://www.bookstrand.com/morgan-ashbury