Happy New Year? Not yet.

(This is copied from my journal entry on 01-01-08)
Happy New Year. The words seem hollow...empty. Just words. Three little words - a combination of 12 letters and 4 syllables. I just don't feel it this year. I have in the past. We stay up every year watching the ball drop in Times Square and/or praying the old year out and the new year in. We've even been to Times Square on new Year's Eve. So many people. It was a huge, exciting party. It was fun and we were happy. I've had many happy new years. But this new year's day doesn't seem so happy. I'm tired.

It's 8:00 a.m. and I'm sitting in the Nashville airport watching a lot of other tired-looking people make their way robotically to their gate. I wonder where they're all going. Why are they travelling today? I'm sure a lot of them are heading home from the holidays, back to work and school - back to the routine. My routine would normally return tomorrow, but not this year. I'm headed to Baton Rouge. Mama had a stroke yesterday. We don't know why or what caused it. She had surgery December 4 and seemed to be recovering well. In fact, when I talked to her Sunday night, she was doing quite well - still recovering, but she was laughing and talking. I commented to Tim when I got off the phone that she seemed more like herself than she has since before the surgery. And then, about 12 hours later, she stroked. Who would've known? I got the call to come home and here I am, sitting in the airport waiting to board the plane for New Orleans.

2008 will be better. 2007 was a tiring year. A lot happened and especially toward the end of the year with Mama's surgery on the 4th and on the 12th we lost a very special, very beloved aunt, Nita. We will miss her so much. I plan to make some much-needed changes this year. And I plan to enjoy this year. At the end of this year, I hope to be able to say "Goodbye 2008. It was a happy old year."