WORDS OF WISDOM FOR THE NEW YEAR

The most destructive habit…Worry
The greatest joy…Giving
The greatest loss…Loss of self-respect

The most satisfying work…Helping others
The ugliest personality trait…Selfishness
The most endangered species…Dedicated leaders

Our greatest natural resource…Our youth
The greatest “shot in the arm”…Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome…Fear

The most effective sleeping pill…Peace of mind
The most crippling failure disease…Excuses
The most powerful force in life…Love

The most dangerous pariah…A gossiper
The world’s most incredible computer…The brain
The worst thing to be without…Hope

The deadliest weapon…The tongue
The two most power-filled words…“I Can”

CHRISTMAS 2009 was wonderful. I did a "Christmas Memory" at one of the Christmas Eve services and reflected on my Moroccan Christmases. What a stark contrast I had from 2006 to 2007, then again from 2007 to 2008. And this year just a bit different, with me in my own house once more. I am so blessed. Hosted 12 family members for dinner; we had snowy weather. All is good.

Here's the photo from the Gazette article. I do find myself thinking more about Morocco now than I have the past year. Perhaps because there is another new volunteer at my site, and I hear from her and have hopes she will stay and continue to help the wonderful women I worked with. I am all the more convinced now how awful bigotry is and how it harms our world and attempts at peace. Generalizations about a nation, religion, culture, etc. are just destructive. I continue to do presentations about my Peace Corps experience from time to time; will do two in Miles City the end of January.

I have had a few minor setbacks the past six weeks; I fell and put a slight crack in my right wrist, and it has been very slow to heal. I also had a little surgery to remove an abdominal hernia. I have really missed my exercise regimen and look forward to resuming in a couple of weeks. My work has kept me fairly busy, and I'm enjoying singing in the church choir again, and seeing more of family and friends. Had a great trip to California the first part of December to attend a memorial service for a dear friend and spent a few days with daughter Heide and her Jasmine.

Hope your Christmas is Merry and 2010 a wonderful year for you!