I want to thank you for so many things. Thank you for bringing into my life my new nephew, Henry. He is just the sweetest, happiest baby. Thank you for making my brother a dad and my sister-in-law a mom. They are amazing parents.
Thank you for my last year with Gil, for being present at his passing, for being able to be a friend and shoulder to my mother. Those are incredible memories for which I will be forever grateful.
Thank you for new friendships. Thank you for introducing me to an amazing little boy, Miller, who steals my heart with every dimple cheeked grin and wheeling around of his chair. Each time he says my name, I melt yet again. Thank you for reminding me of life's precious gifts wrapped in heartache and devastation.
Thank you for older friendship. Thank you for their warmth and love, their laughter and ridicule. Thank you for every moment I've shared with them over this last year - through it all. Thank you for their understanding and monumental strength they've shared with me.
Thank you for my oldest friendships. Thank you for those people in my life who have known me since childhood, who have seen me at every phase of my life, who don't hesitate to point out when I need to snap out of it, who scold me and then smile warmly - letting me know they wouldn't say it if they didn't love me. Thank you for the time I have with them.
Thank you for the continued love in my life who puts up with me on a daily basis. The person who gives me peace at the end of a long day and brings me saltines and ginger ale late at night when I needed it. Thank you for each moment, each laugh, each adventure Saturday, each walk, and each smile.
Thank you for every opportunity brought into my life and for the willingness and, at times, foolhardiness, to take a hold of that opportunity and try to make something of it. Thank you for the willingness to fail; thank you for every stumble and every triumph along the way.
And lastly, thank you to my sweet pups and cat. I love you so much. You bring me such joy.
With utmost thanks,
Tucker
Dear 2014,
Be kind. Be gentle. Be loving. Be strong. Be open. Be caring. Be nice. Bring tolerance. Bring excitement. Bring new adventures. Bring relief. Bring strength. Bring character. Bring acceptance. Bring creativity. Bring success. Bring challenge. Bring love. Bring laughter. Bring cures.
This year, there will be no worrying about what the scale says, but rather about true fitness. This year, there will be no diets or fads, but an awareness of what foods work best for my body, and which foods are completely worth it to eat for the sheer joy of eating them.
This year, there will be big events and small milestones, may I move through each with grace and peace.
This year I will push, challenge, risk, strive for those things I desire to do, for those things that will be good for me, my family, and my life.
This year, I will travel, I will meet new people and have new adventures. This year I will focus.
I will welcome everything you bring, 2014, but I promise you that if you aren't nice about it, I will take you down. So good luck, my friend, good luck.
Best wishes,
Tucker
