Goodbye, 2011

Saturday is usually poetry day, and I'll admit I tried to find something appropriate. There's Burns or Tennyson or William Cullen Bryant. But none of them spoke to me.


I am no poet, and yet I find myself wanting to say something meaningful at the end of this year. Something that will strike a chord with my readers and me. I just don't know what that would be.


My dh always writes an end/beginning of the year post, and from where I sit, I can never compete. There is such depth and remembrance!


I write because of a need I have. I have been blessed this year that so many of you have read my words, and a few of you have commented. The writing fills a void for me, but it also allows me to tell my history in a public way. I have often commented on the benefit of public disclosure regarding abuse. I have found no greater outlet than here on this blog. The fact that you take the time to read and comment still astounds me. So once more a huge thank you to all of you who read, with a special thanks to those who comment!


I have found new and old outlets this year. Returning to crocheting has been a boon for my spirit, soul and self esteem. I enjoy the process -- something I have a very hard time doing as a rule. I think I am getting pretty good at it. I've sold a few things and love the things I've kept. Perhaps the greatest blessing from crocheting was in the form of a note my dh gave me for Christmas. He went to my local yarn shop to get me some goodies and had a conversation with my favorite worker there.

"Oh, you're Melanie's husband. I just love her. 

She has such a great attitude and she just never

seems to get flustered. 

She finds projects to take on and if she can't 

figure it out, she doesn't get frustrated 

or give up, she just comes in and asks 

for help, and her work is just beautiful. 

She is just a wonderful

person to be around."

I cried when I read this. I didn't get a lot of encouragement growing up. I was often told that I thought too highly of myself. My natural assumption is that I am an annoyance to people -- that they put up with me to provide something, like food, or out of a sense of duty. To have words like these spoken about me by someone who gained nothing by saying them was simply amazing to me. (I hope I am not out of line in sharing this. I find myself wondering if this will be misinterpreted. I hope not!) So to my dh for sharing and Emily for saying these things, a huge thank you.

My prayer for your new year is that it will be filled with real love, real friends and real experiences. That the troubles you face will be manageable and that you will find support from God, family and friends. That your joys will be many, and you will recognize and appreciate them. And that you will find purpose in what you do and realize your value and the gifts we all bring to this world.

Blessings.