2014 was a rotten year of tragedy and disaster, from the bloody conflicts in Ukraine, Syria and Gaza and the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq to the chaos of Ferguson and the spread of Ebola in West Africa.
Goodbye and good riddance, 2014: We won’t miss you one bit.
—Jared Keller at PolicyMic
Do you agree with Keller? Apparently a majority of Americans think 2015 will be better than 2014, but selfishly speaking, I was very happy this past year. There are no guarantees in life, so I could very well end up missing it. What about you?
January 3, 2014
2014 was a good year for me. No health problems, plenty of money coming in, first ever visit to Berlin, friends and relatives all in good shape, lots of enjoyable books, music and films. Hopefully 2015 will be even better.
If only it would be a bit better for all those millions of people across the globe who’re facing dreadful problems, usually not of their making, and struggling to improve their lives.
I agree about the millions (billions?), but it’s not clear that 2014 was/will be the worst for that.
I’m glad it was a good year for you.
2014 was an decent year, until near the end, when we lost Karen’s mother as a result of a stroke. While sad, she was just short of 90 and had been wheelchair bound for many years. She had lived far longer than she ever thought she would.
We also were able to see our daughter, son-in-law and grandkids from Wisconsin twice this year, once for a week in Wisconsin and then again when they visited for Thanksgiving.
2014 was a horrible year for so many around the globe. Unfortunately, I doubt 2015 will be any improvement for a great many of them. There really are human monsters on the world stage these days.
Not just monsters, but climate change is happening, whether or not humans have much to do with it. The poor always suffer the most.
I’m glad your year went well, for the most part. My mother-in-law lived to be 93, and she was more than ready to go. It’s still sad.
The year went in a blur and mostly was very good to me. Then towards the end it got spoilt with some health issues that screwed up my happiness but I am now back to being my normal self with high hopes for twenty fifteen. India as a whole will do very well during the coming year with a very strong and forward looking government in the center with most of the states also following suit electing the same combination to power. Overall, I am very bullish for me mine and my country.
Sorry about the health problem, but as you say, it’s a shock at first but then one adjusts and returns to happiness. It gets easier with practice.
It must be an exciting time to be an Indian. I wish you all well! American seems to be in a steady decline, but who knows what the future will bring. Except some surprises, no doubt.
I shouldn’t say this out loud, but all the tragedies didn’t involve ME so it was interesting drama, like a good movie.
I didn’t add the 😀 to “didn’t involve ME.
I’m immune to News. It’s catastrophes every day.
I agree with you. With the right amount of detachment it is good drama. And it’s real, not fiction. I don’t always watch movies with happy endings, I watch to understand (and feel) more about life — from a safe distance. Yes, 2014 had its share of disasters, but no more than 1914-1918 or 1939-1945. Or the Depression years, or ….
well.
for me health-wise in truth . . . a bit of a bummer was 2014.
but that just makes me more determined than ever to be healthier in 2015!
i KNOW what i need to do. i just don’t do enough of it.
as to the world stage . . . i cannot be too much with it. it hurts. and in hurting makes my health not so good. i sit quietly for awhile … part of each day. i send love.
out into the universe. don’t know whether it helps me or the universe. LOLOL!
Don’t worry about Ebola. It will soon be eradicated with a vaccine.
tammy,
The best thing you can do for your friends, who are part of the rest of the world, is to be as healthy as you can. Think of us when you do what you need to do. Do it for us!
BHB,
I agree. There will be more diseases like Ebola, and people will respond sooner. Enlightened self interest.
the worldwide stage in some parts of the world were dreadful…maybe it will improve, maybe it won’t – the instant communication often give the perpetrators instant feedback, mostly through the wrong ways.
sadly the majority of us can only do what tammy chooses, sit quietly and send positive healing and healthy thoughts…
my 2014 was interesting for me, as I made a lot of choices that for my wellbeing although some of my real time friends were stunned at some of them…one or two said “I never thought you would do that!” 🙂
what will 2015 bring, I don’t know but I am mindful that even though some believe I am looking younger, some of my body parts are showing signs of wear & tear! 🙂 🙂
Keep as healthy as you can, and regard it as your contribution to making the world a better place. We, your friends, will appreciate it!
Like many others, my personal 2014 was good, and contrasted with what I see and hear too often about too much of the rest of the world. I see no reason to expect 2015 to be greatly different, for me or for the rest of the world. But I was very happy to hear optimism about India, Rummuser. Thanks.
I’m glad you had a good year. It will be interesting to see what happens in 2015. There are bound to be some surprises.
I’m quite optimistic about 2015. Is that optimism warranted? Probably not, given what we see upon the world’s stage. Sometimes I have to cut off my time reading or listening to news because grief overwhelms me. I feel it’s better if I spend my time praying that all are without suffering, even the most despicable among us, than to fixate on ills I cannot correct. What kind of world would we have if those who are hurting or deficient in human feeling were healed along us all of us wonderful and sage people who could do so much better (she says, tongue only half in cheek)? Personally, I deal with a chronic illness that isn’t going to go away and which has steadily robbed me of many activities I enjoyed just a few years ago. Yet, as you mentioned, one learns to accommodate to one’s circumstances. I have all I need in this moment, and that’s all we can ask, isn’t it? I still experience waves of sadness for what will not be, for the dreams of these years that will not be realized, but they recede and I’m left with peace that the striving part of my life has perhaps left me and a new way of being is settling gently upon my soul. So, I am optimistic and hopeful that I can go on being optimistic each year.
I’ve often told Andy I never let reality get in the way of my optimism. So much for my always being a cheerful pessimist. 😀
You might like Fightin the Fibro — I watch for her new posts. I especially liked enough of the busy and yep this is me. I don’t have fibro, but we all have things to mourn, deal with, as time goes on. Bless the internet!
Thank you so much for coming by and commenting.
2014 was a rough one for me personally, with the onset of almost non-stop migraines early in the year and struggles all year to get them under control. Despite that, I have a lot of great memories of the year – fun times with my pack. I agree with you that nothing is guaranteed so I try to take my small happy moments to heart and not let the national and international problems drag me down. That sounds like your approach too…
I hope 2015 is a lot better about the migraines. I admire you for taking pictures and posting in spite of it all. I also admire your pictures!
I was watching a TV program (NCIS) the other day and one fellow who had been through a lot talked about meaningful moments when he could connect with loved ones. He said, “Those are the moments that make life worth living.” Amen to that.
I agree with both Keller and you Jean.
2015 is shaping up to be easier for us than 2014.
I’m happy for you!