Happy New Year one and all! Wishing you a peaceful, less stressful and joyous 2017!
So many have recounted 2016 as a horrible year - Annus Horribilis - which in Latin means "horrible year", popularised by the Queen in her Christmas speech years ago. Indeed, it hasn't been good in terms of celebrity deaths. Alan Rickman, David Bowie, Victoria Wood, George Michael, Carrie Fisher (aka Princess Leia), Debbie Reynolds, Prince. Just to name a few.
A few people have said it's such a sign of the times (huh? What does that mean ... anyway ...) that we are all living in each other's pockets and we take celebrity deaths personally like we are their friends. But the truth is we remember these celebrities probably because they were in a film or released a particular album or song that reminded us of our youth, our past, a significant time in our lives. Who can forget the really terrible yet wonderful movie Labyrinth that featured David Bowie? Or Alan Rickman in the Die Hards, as Sheriff of Nottingham in the really cheesy Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Truly Madly Deeply, Love Actually, or Last Christmas, Careless Whisper or Wake Me Up Before You Go Go by good ole George. We can't remember what we had for dinner last night, but we can all remember where we were and who we were with probably when we went to watch those films or when the songs were released. In one way or the other, these celebrities touched our lives. We all hold a memory significant to each of their song or show.
2016 was hard for me too in terms of family and friends' deaths, Some years, you get more than others. We are after all growing older, we can't stop death. And compared to the horrors of Syria, Berlin, Turkey, we all have viewed enough trauma in the world
to wonder what humanity is doing to itself, and how we can be so cruel.
But 2016 was also the year we moved to a new country in search of new adventure. Even despite everything, I can say that I am immensely blessed. We have been here two months and we have the most wonderful scenery, weather and made some new friends pretty damn quick. We have found a wonderful house to live in, unpacked in the nick of time (Christmas), and live in a wonderful neighbourhood near a great little village. Life as we know it, is good.
So what do I take away from 2016?
We can't control how things work out. We can't control our own lives. We can go with the flow and just take what comes and make the best of it. We remain true to ourselves and do our best work when we have purpose. We remember with fondness all that we have lost, celebrate their lives and in turn celebrate our own as well. And we are to enjoy this life that we have been given.
Maybe it is sentimental guff. But in this new year, I strive to be true to myself, and do good work. Not be swayed by what is popular, or who it pleases. Try not to control everything and try and make good decisions. Oh and trust my own judgement. No one else's is as good as my own when I am deciding what's good for me.
We ended 2016 on what I hope is a high note. We had some lovely new friends over, seen some stunning, wondrous scenery that could make you (and have made us) weep, and enjoyed such lovely family time together. 2017 will be what it will be, but I choose to celebrate my life however it turns out.
Here are some wonderful pictures of our Central Coast road trip.
Happy New Year and may 2017 bring peace and joy to you and your family.
Lots of love from sunny California xoxo
