Happy New Year 2014!!

We have now entered into a new year with a promise of new hope, new vision, new dreams and new life.

At this time, people often make resolutions to change their lives for the better. Some of the most common ones are to lose weight, stop smoking and being more philanthropic.

I typically look at a new year just like turning a page in life, but this year is different. I feel like I’m writing an entirely new book with new pages, new stories, new chapters, and I’ll tell you why.

I experienced the loss of a spouse, loss of my favorite pet and the birth of my first grandbaby, a baby girl named Ariana Alexa Lee-Ann Benjamin. All this occurred within the past two years.

The death of the love of my life, Willie, in January 2012, shook me to the core of my being. In losing him, I also lost my identity, my self-confidence, my self-worth and my reason for living.

For quite a while afterwards, I couldn’t find one reason to keep on living, except that breath continued to flow through my body. Nothing made sense to me anymore.

I woke up one day, however, about six months after losing Willie and the sun was shining, the birds were singing and I felt joy for the first time. I was actually happy and grateful to be alive. I still didn’t know who I was, though, in the scheme of this phase of my life.

It took me about a year and eight months to find myself in my job and regain my confidence in my profession. I finally was on my game again. Around that same timeframe, my daughter gave birth to my first grandbaby. This also gave me new meaning for living.

Just a few weeks ago, I had to put my dog to sleep. He was like a son to my husband and me. He was 11 years old. This reopened old wounds from losing Willie, but I knew he would be okay with it.

It’s been almost two years since Willie’s death, and I’m just now beginning to figure out who I am apart from him.

I believe this new year will introduce a new me to the world and to myself. I’m looking forward to the discovery I will find in this new place that I feel I’m moving into.

I don’t think I’m alone in these experiences. I’ve talked to many others who experienced tragedy and loss.

My hope for 2014 is that this year will reveal to you the magic of who you are, who you were created to be. I hope that you experience new vision and dreams for your life, that you begin to see a future filled with promise no matter what your age.

You are a gift and realizing that will make your value to the world increase exponentially.

Do you have new year’s resolutions you’d like to share, or life experiences that make this new year special? If so, please tell us all about them!

Tagged: 2014, death, loss of loved one, new life, new year

Posted in: Freelance Writing, Miscellaneous, Personal Stories, Rants About Life, Thought for the Day