Volume 11 , Issue 26

Looking Back ... '99 Reflections

It was in Issue 39, Vol. 1, 18 December 1999, Saturday, that we dug these 1999 reflections out of our archives. These reflections are not in our OkieLegacy database, so we are going back to Volumes 1 & 2 to incorporate those interesting items in our "Looking Back..." series.

December 18, 1999, another week has gone by and the holiday shoppers are busily bustling and preparing for the Holidays and the New Century that is just around the corner. As I reflect back over the last twelve months of 1999, I count the ways and special friends who have blessed some part of my life this past year. I will only mention some of the highlights!

Let me start briefly in the early part of January 1999, after the the birth of my first kidney stone that showed up Christmas Night 1998. It was that episode (among other things) that caused me to make some positive changes in my life. Anyway, I hope it was for the better. Afterwards, the faith & trust that I have learned to give/receive from those around me has rewarded & blessed me continuously this last few months.

Moving from February to March was another milestone in my life. I turned 51 in the latter part of February and began a rejuvenating and redefining the journey of my own self awareness. Easter weekend and April was another special turning point in my life. I strengthened my relationships with those around me at that time. There were "moments of gold and flashes of light..." It just seemed right! It seemed like my hopes and dreams were all coming back to me.

Shortly after that discovery, I started writing my "Heart To Heart Newsletter" with encouragement from special friends whom strengthened me when I was weak; giving me back my faith when it was lost; speaking when I had no voice or words; being there for me and giving me inspiration; and being my eyes when I couldn't see. I'm everything I am because they had the faith & trust in me and taught me to have faith & trust in myself.

I am continuously learning that with forgiveness of this and that, Love and Friendships can move mountains. AND... Believing, Trusting and having Faith in your friends and yourself is another important part of the whole picture.

The end of September and first part of October, 1999 was the beginning of a much deserved vacation that Dave and I took together back east through Canada and New England. Taking in the sights of our ancestral homesteads of West Virginia; meeting new friends; realizing that each day is a new adventure; and experiencing life as it is.

That now brings us to November and December where I am at the present -- reflecting on how blessed that I have been this year (1999). Especially with old and new friends coming into my life. That includes connecting with new cousins and learning bits & pieces of family stories.

In 1999 we experienced days that were good and some that were the pits. Sometimes just a few encouraging words or a special kind of hug and encouragement from others can gave us the strength to go on. If I can be the "Wind Beneath Your Wings," then lean on me. I expect NOTHING in return! The Twenty Century was just on the horizon.

The Full, bright Moon of December, 1866 & 1999 ... On December 21st, 1866 the Lakota Sioux took advantage of this combination of occurrences and staged a devastating retaliatory ambush on U.S. occupying soldiers in the Wyoming Territory.

In layman's terms it will be a super bright full moon, much more than the usual. It has not happened this way for 133 years!

Here it is December 1999, 133 years later that our ancestors 133 years ago saw this same Full bright Moon. The descendants of 133 years agpwill see this again as it happens again on December 22, 1999. Will it be another 133 years (December 2032) when it occurs again?
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