Two Thousand Twenty Five

Happy New Year!

Can you believe it is actually 2025? Two thousand twenty-five. If you are just a youngster, say 50 or younger, you’re probably thinking of course it’s 2025. You might have been just a kid when we switched from 1900 something to 2000 something. For some of us that came a little later in life and was a seismic switch in our thinking and feeling.

I remember when I was just a young teen and thought about how old I’d be when the century changed. It seemed an impossibly long time and a  pretty old age to think about being when I was 13 or 14.  Going beyond that to 2025 seemed to be that far future writers wrote about in books where everyone traveled by flying cars and well, all kinds of amazing futuristic thoughts. Come to think of it, we’ve seen some of those amazing things. We carry telephones that are computers around in our pockets. We wear watches that count our pulse and take our blood pressure and bing to tell us we have a message from somewhere, anywhere in the vast world. We have artificial intelligence at our fingertips to  answer our every question. There are cars that don’t need a driver, and who knows what else.

But back when I was that kid I had no idea I’d even make it to the turn of the century. But I did make it, and now I’ve made it to another quarter of a century. At least I will if I make it through this year which I very much hope to do. While none of us are promised tomorrow, we still expect to see that next sunrise.

This morning, we saw the sun come up on the first day of a new year. It was cloudy here. So, I didn’t actually see the sun, but I saw the light it pushed down through the clouds to start the day. It felt the same as most any other day as I walked with the dogs and was glad I’d been wise enough to put on my winter coat.

Frankie, that’s my rascal dog, has been really good on our walks for a few weeks, but this morning he ran off to the neighbors’ house. I had to go fetch him. I’ve heard people say that whatever you do on the first day of a New Year you will repeat often in the rest of the year. I’m certainly hoping that isn’t true with Frankie. The same as Frankie, I’ve veered off my thought path and chased down a rabbit trail. I don’t want to make that a habit either as I need to focus on my goals and dreams for this new year.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ~C.S. Lewis

I like thinking that we can all look forward to new hopes, goals, and dreams in 2025. The same as most every year of my life, I have the goal of sharing yet another story with readers. I have the hope of writing a book people will want to read. I hope my story will bring smiles and maybe a tear or two as readers embrace my characters and follow their story trail. I dream of more ideas coming to life in my imagination. And as C.S. Lewis says in his quote, I hope I never get too old to do that dreaming.

“Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one.” ~Brad Paisley

While I’m thinking of blank pages I need to fill with story words, I also like thinking about the year being that 365 page book that we write with how we live. I do hope we all write a good one filled with joys and laughter and love.

Do you remember thinking about when the 2000 would come in and maybe thinking how old you would be and how it seemed forever away? 

Winners of My Christmas Newsletter Giveaway

Samantha from Montana was my 1st place winner. She won the Willow Tree figurine and her choice of one of my books. She picked Along a Storied Trail. 

Susie Wilson was my 2nd place winner. She won her choice of two of my books. I haven’t heard from her yet, but hope to have a response to the email I sent her soon. If not, I’ll pick a different winner.

And I’ll send out a new newsletter soon with another giveaway and think up a giveaway game here on One Writer’s Journal too. And as always, thanks for reading!