One more year to be glad for

The end of another year brings the usual reflections.

Of course, I know it hasn't been the best year financially for a lot of people, myself included, but they say that life is about more than money. As Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal."

It's hard to remember sometimes - even at Christmas when we are supposed to be honoring the Prince of Peace but too often get caught up in the trappings of materialism. But for almost any of us who take a long moment to think about it, life is a remarkable gift which becomes inversely more valuable the less of it there is left - even if we don't have as much money as we would like.

One more year gone? Check. One year closer to the grave? Check. One less year to do those things which one always thought one would do, but never did? Check. But also - and this is the hard part to remember - one more year alive on a planet that is never short of adventure; one more year of freedom to do or not do whatever you want; one more year of joy and sorrow, ups and downs, and endless opportunity.

And one more chance to be grateful…

So here goes:

Thanks, God, for a life beyond compare - for a sky that never ends, a sun that always returns, a day that is always different. Thanks also for the little things that I sometimes take for granted - a child's smile, a bird's warble, and a bagel with cream cheese. And, hey, what about indoor plumbing?

But most of all, thanks for the gift of people. They come in endless varieties and never cease to amuse, befuddle or educate me. I'm particularly grateful for my readers, who both encourage and humble me. Never a week goes by that I don't get a kind note from someone letting me know how much they appreciate this column, and yet to keep me on my toes someone else will send a letter demanding that I be fired. Opinions, it turns out, are a lot like firewood - they burn brightest when they aren't all wet.

And thanks most of all for my family. Anyone who is lucky enough to be loved knows that it is an honor we can never live up to, but we are happy to try. The new marriage that blessed my life in February has given me an endless source of comfort and strength. Although I cannot expect the future to be without trouble, I am confident that together and with God's help we can meet any problem and prevail.

So, good-bye to the old year and welcome to the next. I just hope I remember what is truly important in life and don't let the foolishness of man distract me too much from the gifts of God. My wife and children make me happy every single day, and that is something I can only hope to repay in kind.

Frank Miele is managing editor of the Daily Inter Lake and writes a weekly column. E-mail responses may be sent to edit@dailyinterlake.com