New Year Celebration

Day 607 - it is the Jewish New Year and people all over the country are celebrating tonight. We decided that this year we, me and my daughter, are going to celebrate with her family in the kibbutz. They are absolutely amazing and really took her as part of the family and she loves them dearly; and so far we never celebrated a holiday in the kibbutz. Considering the fact that her military time is almost over and she will leave the kibbutz soon, we felt it is the right thing to do. And I am so happy we did. They are so wonderful and to celebrate in a kibbutz is something very special. I used to live in a kibbutz many years ago and I forgot this community feeling. All the performances by the kids and adult members of the community. It was so very special. 
It is a long drive from the city where I live, but I used the time to call all my friends, one after another, and wish them happy new year. I talked to some people I haven't spoken to in a very long time. From now I will make it a habit to go over my phone book every so often to make sure I keep in contact with everyone in my life, with all my friends. I had a nice surprise with someone I was hesitating whether to call or not and before I got to it, he sent me a sweet SMS wishing me a happy new year. I also had a sad surprise with another call. I heard something in the guy's voice when I called, he is always so cheerful and this time he really wasn't, so I asked why and he told me he was just diagnosed with cancer and he is undergoing a surgery this coming Friday. Not the kind of news you ever want to hear or get. So as always, life is full of surprises good and bad, and the combination of them all put together plus our attitude will determined how our lives will be. So the new year is at our gate, what can I ask for, what do I wish for myself and for my loved ones? I wish the coming year will be good just as the last one, I wish that even moments of low will carry within them the seeds of hope. I wish my thirst for knowledge and learning will never be satisfied, that my health will keep supporting all our grandiouz plans. I wish for inner and outer peace, for many new friends and experiences. I wish to live life to the fullest and not be afraid of the new and unfamiliar; to dare take the less traveled paths.
 
I am thankful for another wonderful year here in my beloved country. I am thankful for being so blessed as to celebrate it with family and friends. I am thankful for all the amazing personal growth I experienced this past year and I can only hope this trend will continue. I am thankful for every moment I am here on this earth, for a wonderful family and so many good friends. I am thankful for frienships and love I am surrounded with, for a man I love every moment I can spend with, and most of all for children that are the dream of every parent. I am thankful beyond words to my daughter that shares her life with me so much more than I ever dared to hope. I am thankful, so very thankful for all the bounty in my life.