Frohe Weihnacht und ein Gutes Neues Jahr!

These three candles symbolize faith, hope and love. The year is coming to an end, and I’ll be taking flight for the holiday, but I wanted to leave you with a few thoughts. Each year is filled with good times and bad. Here are some events that happened around the world and in the U.S. in 2012.

- Protests intensify in Syria and women and children are slaughtered

- The worst case of Presidential Election Bullying I’ve witnessed in my life

- Riot at Soccer match in Egypt kills 73 people

- Over 300 killed at a prison in Honduras

- U.S. Soldier kills 16 Afghan Civilians

- Tornadoes hit South and Midwest (17 States), killing at least 27 and injuring hundreds

- 7 Die in California School Shooting

- Job recovery slow most months

- Earthquake hits Italy killing at least 5 and leaving 3,000 homeless

- United Nations declares Civil War in Syria

- Wildfires spread in New Mexico and Colorado

- 12 killed in Colorado Theater Shooting

- Over 100 people die in Russia from floods

- U.S. Military death toll reaches 2,000 in Afghanistan

- 6 people killed at Sikh Temple shooting in Wisconsin

- Manila submerged by floods killing at least 50 people

- 4 killed when gunmen storm U.S. Embassy in Libya

- 87 deaths from West Nile

- Truce in Syria for Muslim Holiday (How nice of them not to kill anyone during a religious holiday)

- Sandusky is sentenced up to 60 years in prison for 45 counts of sexually abusing boys.

- Meningitis spreads throughout the U.S.

- Hurricane Sandy hits east coast, killing 44, and storm changes and grows to 1,000 miles leaving 8 million without power.

- Obama wins re-election while congress and the Nation remains divided

- 26 killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School

I don’t know about you, but this list is very depressing to me. The way I see it, people all over the world have a lot of hate in their hearts. I’m not overly religious, but I have always had a strong faith and love for God. I look at this list of deaths caused by man and Mother Nature, and wonder if someone’s trying to tell us something. Maybe it’s time we start putting God (whatever God you believe in) back into our hearts, homes, courthouses, schools, and corporate buildings. We seem to have strayed, and I worry if we continue on this path, we might not be able to find our way back.

I’m looking forward to waving good-bye to 2012. I hope 2013 keeps you safe, happy and allows your dreams and prayers to come true. I’ll see you in the New Year. Frohe Weihnacht und ein Gutes Neues Jahr (Merry Christmas and a Good New Year)!

New beginnings and goals,

Bea