May you have a Happy New Year how ever you celebrate, and a blessed, successful and peaceful year to follow. Thank you for being a fellow journeyer with me. This year, I am rewriting and setting my author’s page, writing 12 books for you, setting up the giveaways and contests for this year-and they’ll all be on my website, my newsletter and my FB page
Perhaps you ought to mark those things with a bookmark so you can stop by often for the latest news here about the farm, the Publishing and relax from the struggles of the day. In the meantime, I ran across something of interest I thought to share.
My friend and fellow author Frank Daley, sends me his newsletter, and I want to quote a little from it here:
Yesterday I offered this as a New Year’s wish for you. “I hope this year brings you health, peace, insight, self-knowledge and a measure of prosperity unlike some years we could name.”
Today I received this note from a friend of many decades, Bill Tepperman.
“Oh, Frank…if only your wishes could make good things happen…if only!
Try harder in 2023!”
Is working harder going to do it for you?
Or us?
I thought of Boxer the horse on the farm in Animal Farm, George Orwell’s novella.
Boxer is described as a hardworking, but naive and ignorant cart horse in he 1945 novel. He is depicted as the farm’s dedicated and loyal laborer.
But no matter how hard he works nothing ever gets better.
I was always touched by Boxer’s attitude, fortitude, loyalty, and strength.
We see it now with the women and some men in Iran.
We see it in our own communities and families.
We see it all over the world in different ways.
Many of us are like Boxer.
We are not ignorant we just feel (almost?) powerless to effect any good change in the world or in whichever field we work.
I know it is difficult when so much greed, stupidity, unfairness selfishness, and avariciousness is dominant.
We don’t know what to do about it all.
Small steps, and good will, I guess.
Frank has a great little newsletter, and makes good points. Generally, they’re funny and I appreciate humor. He is also a deep thinker and sometimes that comes out, like today’s missive. I appreciate his thoughts. (And if you want to email him and join his mailing list to see what I mean, he won’t mind: daleyfrank0@gmail.com) He’s also an excellent writer.
Yes, Frank, life is hard; it’s scary out there sometimes. I however, have hope; hope in my own people, my own God, and while I know I cannot fix it all, I can do what I can, where I can, as long as I can and my little bit joined with others, will make good things happen. Will it straighten out the government, make all the judges honest or bring world peace? Probably not. It will make it more bearable for those around us and I do believe in the ripple effect.
Someday, I’ll die, like everyone else. I have come to the realization that I am never going to win the Nobel prize for literature (I had made that a goal back when I was 16.) I am never going to grow three more inches. (Again, at 12 I wasn’t realistic with goal making. I hated being the shortest kid in class). Back when my little sister was born, I asked God to send me a baby to play with, too (He answered that one 18 years later, and I have raised 6 kids and help with the great grandchild and grandkids now, so yeah, sometimes you have to wait for the big things.) From all those things and more, I learned I am able and I can set good, doable goals. This year one of those goals is to serve my fans and friends and fellow journeyers with as much love and caring as I can; to provide them with a way to escape the stress of this world for a few minutes and recharge their batteries; to entertain them with a purpose by providing them with reading that builds you up, not tears you down.
Does that mean all my books have happy endings? No, some won’t. I have to be realistic; the guy doesn’t always get the girl, the good guys don’t always win. However, in real life, we can help each other, whether by giving advice and knowledge like in the course I wrote for you on my website, or sharing a smile, like my friend Frank does regularly. I can make my books as realistic as possible. This year, confirm in your heart the idea that you can make a difference for one person by doing a kind thing for someone each day; doesn’t have to be big; it can be as simple as smiling at the clerk checking you out in the grocery, a word of thanks to a serviceman or a cop, something as simple as note written to an older person to let them know they are not forgotten. There are a thousand ways to do a RAK (random act of kindness) each day. The funny thing is, I have found that when I encourage someone else, it always comes back to me and I get encouraged as well. So to all my relations, my friends and my buddy Frank, Happy New Year and may the good Lord bless you and keep you til we meet again.
PS I already have 5 giveaways and one contest planned, 12 books, and tons of other stuff. Stay tuned. Blessings and peace to all.
My latest endeavor; Kindle Vella
Book to read for the new year for encouragement, just released; this page: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BPX2PT2G
God bless until next year in a little bit over 6 hours…I am heading for some popcorn and to watch the ball fall and go to bed. Might go out and fire off the old 20 gauge at midnight. Maybe not. God bless, folks.