Goodbye 2012

Well, here it is New Year's Eve.....wow, where did the time go.  I know we all say it and I feel silly repeating it, but I still wonder how time can go by so fast.  2012 was a great year and meeting my goal of finishing Ironman Lake Placid was definitely a highlight.  But that came in a distant 2nd to my brother having successful cardiac surgery.  He had two stents placed in his "widow maker" artery.  I came awfully close to losing him.  That was in August and in September, he accompanied Melissa and I to Washington, DC for the Nation's Tri.  What a special trip that was for the three of us.

Along with the highs there always come some lows.  One of those was Hurricane Sandy .  She blew in and kept us quaking in our shoes as the winds roared through the night.  We were fortunate and only had one tree land softly on the house.  Sadly for so many others, it was complete devastation.   Our hearts go out to those who were in Sandy's path.  Even though there was so much destruction, it was a reminder that there are still so many kind and generous people and businesses out there.  Help poured in and will hopefully continue.  Thank you to PowerBar for encouraging us and reimbursing us to donate products to victims and rescue workers.  For me, this storm brought back so many memories of Hurricane Agnes when she flooded my hometown in 1972.  The scenes were all too familiar.....

1972 or 2012???  Many of the scenes were the same.  It will take a lot of heart to rebuild, but rebuild they will.  Living through the flood of '72 taught me many lessons, the most important one being that 'things' can be replaced, but 'people' never can be.  

And so I am thankful for all in my life and for another year on this earthly plane.  I wish you a Happy, Healthy and Peace Filled New Year.  Write down your goals for 2013 and keep them close to your heart.  Dream big and run fast!!!