From then to now and now to then

When the last decade began I:

• was single,
• was living at work and constantly looking for the next promotion,
• was looking to relative strangers above me on the corporate ladder for approval and support,
• rarely spent time outside (aside from sitting outside smoking and reading),
• could come and go as I pleased and yet I rarely went anywhere,
• never kept food in my house (and what little food I bought frequently went bad),
• only had myself to answer to.

As this new decade begins I:

• am still single (or single again),
• am self-employed and really enjoying what I do,
• look to my friends and family for support and to myself for approval,
• no longer smoke and I spend a lot more time outdoors, playing, doing yard work & just hanging out,
• can no longer come and go as I please, yet I get out and go places a lot more now,
• always have vegetables and fruit in my house and it rarely goes bad,
• have a great kid to answer to; something I always wanted, but never really thought I would have.

In spite of the ups and downs, changes, moves, heartaches and overly stressful periods, my life has improved immeasurably in many ways over the past 10 years. I shrugged my shoulders in 2000; life was okay, but what the heck, another year, another decade, blah. I'm starting this decade on a different note. Life is hard, humbling, dirty and sometimes painful; but it's also sweet, fun, warm, sunny and sometimes, for small moments at a time, it's utterly perfect.

Here's to a great New Year and a splendid New Decade for all of us.