PJ Nunn
Here we are, the start of a brand new year. New decade even. And I'm looking back and wondering where 2009 went. I remember when I was a child and days seemed eternal. There was plenty of time to stop and examine every dandelion, every blade of grass. To count how many bees buzzed around the hunisuckle bush or how many crawdads crawled in the creek across the street. We could lay in the yard and look up at the clouds and still have time to play a game of tag - all before lunch and the afternoon stretched on forever.
Somehow, in my hurry to grow up, I lost the slow and easy pace of childhood and now find myself careening around sharp turns and curves or barreling down steep inclines at the breakneck speed of a roller coaster ride. I might catch of glimpse of something interesting that tempts me to explore further, but by the time the thought is realized, it's gone, never to be seen again. At best it might go on a list in my Daytimer for further exploration at some future, rarely realized, time.
Looking back, 2009 was an interesting year, a hard year in many ways for many of us. The economy has been unstable, causing more than a little anxiety, especially for those who are self-employed. Health issues have taken a forefront position, both in the news and in many of our families. Life in general has been a challenge. And while I love crime fiction, the reality of crime in today's world makes life a lot scarier than it once was for most of us.
Aside from the rapid passage of time (I'm sure there's some law of physics that makes sense of that), priorities shift as well. Things that weren't worth a passing glance in my 20s or 30s demand a second look in my 50s, and possibly even further attention. How long my ancestors lived and the quality of their lives matters a lot more to me today than it did when I wrote a family tree report in high school. Then it was just history. Now it's a prediction of my own future, and those of my children.
It's a lot to think about as I try to make plans for a happier, healthier, and more prosperous new year. I've never been much for New Years' resolutions and doubt I've kept any that I might have made. But hey, it's a new year and there's a first time for everything, right? In all my thinking, I haven't solved any major problems or written any massive resolutions, but I have determined that as my life moves forward I want to slow down more, to laugh more, to help others more and to focus more on things that are really important, not just urgent. Life is short, I want to make it count.
As we move into 2010, I wish you all the best year you've ever had!
