The holidays are now passed and here in Canandaigua, NY we are in the middle of a January freeze. The temperatures are in the teens during the day with wind chills making it feel like the low single digits. I have been reviewing some of my pictures from years gone by and it’s not unusual for us to have little or no snow on the ground at this time of year. And it is also not unusual for us to have the North end of Canandaigua Lake frozen over so a few adventurous souls can try their luck at ice fishing. Before there is any significant build-up of ice on Canandaigua Lake, the lake requires at least a month of below freezing temperatures and low winds as the wind will breakup each newly formed skim of ice and then sweep it over to the side of the lake by morning.
Here’s a list of things that I have resolved to accomplish in this New Year:
1. Thank the Lord for each day that you are on this earth. So many of our family members and friends have passed away last year. My wife Jeanette has taught me to not take tomorrow for granted. Do what you can do each new day and treat it like a gift – which it is.
2. If you have a family member or friend who is shut in, take the time to write them a letter. Sadly, writing has become a lost art. I have a cousin who is 99 years old and in a nursing home. She is deaf but can still read and comprehend if the writing or typing is of very large letters and just a few simple sentences. Due to Covid, even her immediate family cannot come for a visit. What a sad thing to be cut off from all outside stimulation.
3. Designate someone this year as a “forever friend” and let them know. When I describe what a forever friend is, you will understand. These people don’t come along very often into our lives. My first forever friend passed away in 2008. He and his wife would always welcome me into their home. I would drop by uninvited and was always offered a freshly brewed cup of coffee, a piece of newly baked pie or cake, or perhaps some cashews around the holiday season. They never asked me why I was there, or why didn’t I stay home. We just talked as I sat by their fire place. I have six “forever friends”: three in heaven and three still living. This concept of being a “forever friend” is not something to be taken lightly as it means exactly what the words say: forever friend. And that is a huge commitment.
Our warmest wishes for the New Year.
