Happy New Year
I told my Facebook friends I would
post one of my blogs rather than one of the regular posts which I have shared throughout
the year of 2020. Many of which fueled a lot of anger within myself and others. Many of
the posts meant to be informative. However, to some people, they are controversial topics or conspiracy theories. To
me they hold a lot more truth than the regular televised news casts. All of 2020 makes one thing clear, we all have a lot more praying to do. We sure do need God’s help.
I looked at my BlogSpot website the other day and was surprised to notice that I haven’t written a blog since 2019. Now, that the year of 2020, along with all of the upheaval in our lives has ended, we look forward to 2021 while holding on to a glimmer of hope for better things to come. 2020 is somewhat of a blur or a blip which erased a year of many lives. For some people it is an ink blot in the obituary section of the news paper, representing each of those who lost their lives to Covid 19 and other causes of death. Another life lost amongst the numbers given out on the daily broadcast. The picture we see is that of a flawed healthcare system, worldwide.
For my family, the year of 2020 came in like a lamb as God gifted us with our third grandchild, David. Many days he spread sunshine into our home, through the daily pictures my daughter sent me through text message, along with the videos and pictures of our other two rays of sunshine, Lucas and James. Sunshine that many times got me through the dark days of lockdown in the early spring. We thank God for the many blessings we do have even when there are other trials, worries and fears which try to steal our joy.
The year 2020, was a year of changes which have brought with it much fear, death, pain, loneliness, uprisings, rebellion, controls, restrictions, anger, division, addictions, poverty, strife, times of insanity, and so many other emotions and thoughts. The Lord Jesus told us to lay all our burdens at his feet and that He will carry us, walk with us through the storms of life when we trust in Him.
Truly, it was a year many are happy to see end. Many of us have found ourselves tested in ways we never
imagined could happen. There are some charitable stories of people who have shown a
better side of humanity. The long days and months apart from loved ones, tore at
our heart strings.
Businesses shut down, lockdowns, wearing masks, as our freedoms were taken away. People suffered mistreatment and discrimination because they did not comply to wearing a mask even though they had their reasons and rights. This became the new normal. But is it really normal at all? Some accepted such abuses of power by police and even applauded them. Others snitched on someone, maybe a neighbor or a kid skating on a pond. who didn't comply to mandates. A troublesome growing reoccurrence. Even still, many comply while others, say enough, to these suffocating restrictions and mandates as they lose their lively-hood. Two camps who can't compromise or see the other side.
The world changed in a flash. Life as we knew it crumbled. A different kind of world war began. It started with a war against a virus. Over time it turned into a war between people, friends, families as some fought for the freedoms being taken away. A new kind of intolerance happened to people. At first everyone was all working together against this virus. Then as the months dragged on and the tides began to shift, taking many people spiraling down into some void of darkness, we in North America, have not had to experience before. At least not since the early century world wars. Even for people who seem to have all the answers with their word speak, deep down, they too find themselves flailing from within the deepness of depression, trying to find their way back to some normality. 2020 has left us with so much distrust, not knowing what is true and what is not. The devil is always in the details. Now we enter a new year 2021. Usually it would be a time to sing, Auld lang syne.
I didn’t sing that song this New Years Eve. I felt more like singing "Bye by American Pie" I was not surrounded by family or friends, holding hands nor taking a sip of champagne. I was in bed as I heard this muffled voice from my husband coming through the cracks in the floor boards. “Happy New Year.”
I replied with a tone of little excitement, “Happy New Year”. 2020 is over and another year gone. I turned off the light and went to sleep.
For many years, this song has been sung at New Year celebrations, I imagine many of us never knew the meaning of the words we sung. It always had a melancholic tone that brought a tear to the eye. It was not originally written in English. Translated literally it means “old long since,” but the meaning is more like “old times” or “the olden days “Should ole acquaintances be forgot and never brought to mind? It asks a question. Of course the answer is, we should not forget all those who are no longer here. ‘We drink a cup of kindness dear and sing of ole lang syne (the olden days). Song written by Robert Burns also known as Rabbie Burns, born in Scotland 1759.
Just maybe it is the right time to sing this song if there ever was a time to sing it. As we flip through the calendar year when most of us didn't have a clue what day it was because every day became the same. We take a moment of reflection to remember the great things that happened, what we have learned and just for a moment forget all the crap. Think of your loved ones you can still hold and hug or talk to on the iPhone. Just for a few moments "sing, sing a song, make it simple to last the whole night long. Don't worry if it's not good enough for anyone else to hear. Just sing." by Karen Carpenter.
Think of all the rest of 2020 as fully past and gone, days of old long since. For tomorrow is a new day on a new calendar year. "May God Bless you each and everyone." Tiny Tim or you could always tip toe through the tulips of spring. Even better, Let us all pray for this country and ask God to keep our Land Glorious and Free.
"Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days of auld lang syne?
And days of auld lang syne, my dear,
And days of auld lang syne.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days of auld lang syne?"
Onward we go into 2021
