Blessings Among Chaos

In solid Hollie fashion, my last post stated my intention to routinely write my thoughts. It is therapeutic, it is entertaining and downright fun. Sharing with others is one of my joys. Sharing my knowledge, my possible wisdom, my experience and finally, sharing my heart brings me joy. I should have made myself write more this year. Forced myself to sit in this super comfy, claimed by the husband but I sit in when he isn't around, brown recliner and WRITE. I did not. And what a year to not document! 

2020 .....

My last post was completed in January. At the brink of promise....In January of the year 2020 I finally received my Bachelor's Degree, my second child had all the promises of her senior year ahead of her, I had lost a bunch of weight and was feeling pretty feisty in my new clothes, My oldest was in Utah in the process of signing up for the service. My younger middle child was going with the motions of life and my youngest baby was in Kindergarten. I enjoyed my days in the office and was always busy. My hubster was busy at work managing several different police officers in a school setting. Always busy, always surrounded by young life. The coming months proved to be something out of this world. What was yet to come tossed everything we knew about everyday life aside. 

What was going on??? 

We would read on social media sites and hear on the news. We would hear versions from friend's and family... People in other countries were getting sick and their hospitals were not able to keep up with the demand. Death upon death abroad. We here it will come to our country. We hear that Tom Hanks and his wife get this sickness... we begin to panic. Toilet paper and all cleaning products were hoarded from the stores along with the common sense for survival. All of a sudden a new virus became political. School was canceled before Spring Break, there was no prom and no graduation ceremony. The public was urged to remain home and keep outings to a minimum. The only imaginable way to halt the spread of these germs is to not share them. Countries around the world went quiet, the use of technology for work and for socializing was put to the absolute test. Friendships, relationships and family were challenged to find the good in each other rather than let the annoyances of close proximity take the best of them. Some made it through and some did not. Truth, passion, wonder and fear all made themselves known in a major way. There were wild fires on one coast and riots on another. Hurricanes down below and virus hot spots on top. There was a historic presidential election that took place where my older two were able to have their voices heard for the future. 

But what about me?

With my heart condition I have been worried. Not exactly scared but worried for certain. I worried about who I was around and who they were around. I had a very limited circle I was routinely around. I felt as if I was forgetting about people and I was not. I fear some may have taken it personally but I tried hard to let them know I still cared. During the last quarter of the year, my circle became so small that it's close to a speck rather than a circle... it's my family. I struggled with this for a while but I came to the conclusion that yes, all things happen for a reason; my family is my focus. Their well being, their health, their goals and challenges are all meant to be in the forefront at the end of this year that is 2020.  I have had successes and losses. I have had vibrancies and latencies with my health. I have lost friends and gained others. I have learned solid lessons to dealing with both scenarios. Your friendship is only as strong as the mutual understanding and grace. It takes a chaotic year like 2020 to place the world and it's compartments of life into clear perspective.

So on to the holidays..... to usher in a bit of cheer. Hopefully safely and with happy purpose. Let's celebrate the many blessings we have had among the chaos that is 2020.