A toast to Auld Lang Syne

As we come to the end of the chapter that was 2024 in the book of our lives, we want to remember the victories, defeats, advances and setbacks, smiles and tears. And the bottom line. We created memories that we’d never had before.

As a nation this year, we endured the pigs in the parlor mentality which yielded the elongated and stressful elections. North Carolina became famous for a heinous disaster that keeps our northern borders still rebuilding. Some of the most notable deaths of the year were the passing of Ethel Kennedy, Quincy Jones, Bob Newhart and Maurizio Pollini. The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series, The World Cup went to Brazil, the Boston Celtics won the NBA finals, The Chiefs won the NFL Super Bowl and the Michigan Wolverines won the collegiate national football championship.

According to Britannica.com, “The year was marked by historic elections and global unrest. People in more than 60 countries—representing almost 50% of the world’s population—went to the polls in 2024. Voters in Mexico and the United Kingdom picked new leaders, while a former U.S. president was elected to a second term in the White House.”

Nationally we imagined the apocalypse as there were typhoons, hurricanes, fires, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, things (and “millions of drones”) appearing in the skies that our generation had never seen before and offshoots of pandemics on the ground that hadn’t surfaced, the likes of which mankind hasn’t ever seen. Unless of course you called it a strain of the flu in days of yore.

As North Carolinians, we saw blistering summer temperatures, hurricanes and record setting lows that still hang around.

Locally, we saw changes in our governmental leaders and in other areas, some great accomplishments and some tragic losses. Locally our counties saw some great political battles and we now wait for January and the next few years to see if we’ve made the right choice.

Personally, some actually had a great year and are hoping for another one just like it. Others are hoping that 2024 will mean turning a corner and heading into bluer skies.

If you’re reading this, you made it. You made a memory. You left a carbon footprint on this earth and furthered your legacy. The questions now remain; what did you learn and who’s life did you touch? What kind of a difference did you make? How did 2024 prepare you for opening the chapter entitled “2025?”

Some anonymous memster posted, “Nobody claim 2024 as ‘your year.’ We’re all going to walk in real slow. Be good. Be quiet. Don’t. Touch. Anything.”

It’s easy to be cautious, but I caution you not to be cynical.

I challenge you to sit with someone you love in this final night of the year and compare notes. Answer those questions and savor the memories. Go through the past year, month by month and share the times that touched your heart; the times that made you laugh; the times that made you cry; the times that made you angry and the times that brought you peace. Take a good look at your accomplishments and warm yourself by the embers of your experiences and stoke the fire of your expectations.

Don’t let the year steal your ability to dream for better times.

Closure comes with reflection. Explore the things you didn’t do and make a plan to finish in the new year. Come up with more than a resolution – develop a plan to finish. Don’t wait until death until you begin to “bucket list” things for yourselves.

And finally, there are two words that are very hard to say for anyone who has been hurt or abused or laughed at or taken for granted or bullied. Two words that can bring healing and the power to illuminate your path. Two words that can start your engine and propel you forward. “I’m sorry.”

Follow that up with an embrace of the heart and your sky will be a little bluer, the air will smell just a little bit fresher, your heart will become a little bit larger and your next chapter will be a little more exciting. It’s like sippin’ that sweet tea on a front porch in a warm summer’s night. “I’m sorry.”

I want to thank all of you who have supported us and subscribed to us and who have gone through this chapter of our life with us. We are growing, we are learning, we are going forward. There’s nobody we would rather walk with than our families and the people of Bladen County.

And you can smile as it goes out the door and into the history books. It didn’t beat you. It gave you its best shot, but look at you… still breathing. Still reaching. Still wishing. Still dreaming. Still grateful.