Another One Bites the Dust

When you've said goodbye to more than fifty-something "old" years, it's hard to think of anything new to say. You want to be sufficiently profound or insightful or, at the very least, funny but it's tough to frame it in a way that doesn't sound like it's been done a thousand times before.

For most of us, every year brings its share of profit and loss; gratitude and regret. For me, 2012 wasn't much different. The high water mark was undoubtedly the California wedding of a much-loved nephew that brought my entire family together in a rental property in Pasadena for six days that were filled with laughter and love. The low moment? I'm happy to say I can't think of one. Oh yeah, the Bears didn't make the playoffs. But if that's the "worst" I can come up with, I'd say I'm leading a charmed life. Everyone in my life is relatively healthy; everyone's got a roof over their heads and something on their plates to eat. I know how fortunate I am.

As for events that forever touched my heart, if not my actual life, the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary was like no other. I've always been a passionate advocate for sensible gun control but rarely did anything more than shoot off my mouth and write a few checks. But the loss of these children has motivated me to do more. We can't allow our nation's love affair with firearms to continue at the expense of our most innocent, most vulnerable citizens and I'm trying to find more ways to join with others who feel as I do to make our voices heard.

2012 has also been a year in which I felt embarrassed to be an American on more than one occasion. From the debt ceiling to the fiscal cliff, from health care reform to gun control, our leaders have let us down. No one can compromise; no one seems to exercise common sense and we're all left wondering if anyone is really listening to any of us.

But the end of the year is about hope, isn't it? It's about the resiliency of the human spirit. It's about putting on a funny hat, blowing a stupid horn, raising a glass of cheap champagne and vowing to get it right next year.

Here's hoping.