I can’t say anyone has ever accused me of being a genius and God knows I’ve never thought of myself as one. OK… there was the idea to produce the music video to ask Twila to marry me… genius because it worked! Anyway, over the years, I have sometimes had moments of minor creative inspiration and last night was one. I’m sure the header above is not unique… surely some creative genius some place has thought of this and done a much better job illustrating it than I. But, having said that, I truly hope… and yes, believe that we are transitioning from the year of the scary mask to the year of the hopeful shot needle.
Now, since I have used my one inspired, creative idea for the New Year… sadly the rest of this column and all the rest of my columns for “The Year Of The Needle” will likely be uninspired and boring. Sorry.
Because of all we have been through during the past year I have decided not to make any New Years Resolutions. Instead I will go out on a smaller… or, maybe because of my Covid-15… that’s an added 15 pounds from being locked up because of ADCLDs (Andy Decreed Covid Lock Downs)… that should be a much larger limb and just present some hopes for The Year Of The Needle!
While I’m sincerely hoping the New Year will bring more visits with my son, daughter-in-law and, most of all, grandson, Peter, who we haven’t gotten to see in months and more golf with my big brother, Max, I’m going to try and be the larger person… yes, Covid-15 pound pun intended, and present Year Of The Shot Needle hopes for all of us and not just my own selfish self.
Obviously, most of all, I wish for safety and health for us all. Twila and I have two sets of friends… no, we actually have one or two more than that… but these are special friends of the silver years. One set has sequestered themselves in their home with almost no outside human contact with hopes to survive this mess. The other set of friends has hardly slowed down through this entire mess. Twila and I have worried a great deal about both sets… those sequestered have avoided the virus but I worry about the effect on their and those like them emotional state. The other set… those on the run… I worry every day they will bump into the wrong person and be forced to try and survive a case of Covid. So, I hope for the vaccine to kick in and our world to begin to return to normal… or as normal as it can be over the next few years.
Next I wish for a return to success for all the small businesses in our area and our country who have been harmed by this mess and the unreasonable limitations put upon them. So many small businesses would already be closed if not for the owners, many of whom have forgone their own salary and benefits to allow bills to other small businesses and salary for their employees to be paid. It hurts me to know how many mom and pop businesses have put their lives into their business only to watch it evaporate nearly overnight through no fault of their own and with no recourse. Many of those folks, like us, had their entire retirement invested in their businesses and now what are they supposed to do? It will take a miracle to save those businesses much less get them back on solid footings.
Next, I pray that we can all realize there is nothing wrong with disagreeing about things but there is never any excuse to be disagreeable about it. I have many friends who don’t agree with my political and/or religious opinions and beliefs. I respect their feelings and think they respect mine as well. It does not keep us from being friends and having great times together. It just, sometimes, limits the topics of our discussions. But I have accepted their positions and totally support their right to be wrong about things. LOL!
Finally, may God bless you with a safe, happy, successful New Year and may we be able to celebrate the holidays in a traditional and normal way next year.
-by Tim Hurst, SOKY Publisher
