December 31, 2004

BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR...

...ONE AND ALL. I'll be back early next year, as soon as I recover from a stress-related intestinal inflamation I've been battling (atop everything else) throughout the holidays.

The 2005 format of this blog will be the same, the content still often pegged to news events, but a bit more personal memoir and less political diatribe.

Meanwhile, thanks to everyone who read this site in 2004. Thanks especially to those who faithfully voted for me during the competition for Best Essayist. And thanks most of all to those of you who wrote expressions of concern in response to my last three posts -- I'll reply to each of you individually within the next few days.

Thanks again: have a wonderful year in 2005!

Posted by Loren at December 31, 2004 04:41 PM
Comments

I'm praying for you, Wolfgang.

It took a lot of courage to tell what you told. We need more courageous people, not less.

I don't agree with some of your views, but ain't that what makes this country great. We are free to agree and disagree. And most of us can do it and still be civil. I love reading about the arguments our founders had. They just about had some knock-down/drag-outs as they debated what our nation would be.

I share your love of dogs and can understand how painful it is to be without one. You're relatively young. You'll have an opportunity to have a dog again. Don't give up that hope. It may not seem like it now, but you can work through this. Some puppy will be waiting for a new home and you will be there to give him one. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not next week or next month.

You're the rare writer/thinker, Wolfgang. You make me think about things and that's more than I can say for most writers today.

Sometimes we just want to say "F it". I understand that completely. Even The Monk does that occasionally.

But . . .

If I can be still .. if I can just be still long enough to read without having to read the same verse several times before it registers, I'll turn to Job and what he endured and then Jesus and what He endured and then Paul.

One of my favorite Bible verses --> Hebrews 13:5, this part:

"...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

That thought .. that promise .. has helped me through some dark hours.

Please forgive me for taking liberties. It may be a bit absurd coming from a stranger, but what the heck.

Regards,

Monk

Posted by: MerryMadMonk at January 3, 2005 12:26 AM