Sunday, December 13, 2009

The BEST Year of My Life

Today will be my final post for 2009. I am leaving for an extended stay in God's Country on the 18th and will return home just before New Year's.

Before I go any further I want to wish you and your family a blessed Christmas, I hope that you are able to spend time with those you love and remember the true spirit of Christmas isn't about the gifts we give or the food we eat, but the gift that was given to us, so many years ago in the birth of our Jesus the Christ.

This year has been the most difficult of my life. I was laid off from my job, a job I loved, back in January. Sam likes to remind me that my lay-off occurred just 2 hours after President Obama was sworn in.

Never did I imagine that I would be in the place I am at 45 years old. The year has tried my patience, my faith and my self-worth. As much as I know my lay-off had nothing to do with my job performance, it still stings when you are told that your services are no longer needed.

I have struggled this year in ways that I wouldn't wish on anyone, but through it all I have made it through, in many ways a stronger man than I was when the year began.

Through all the crap of being laid-off, I have found so much. I have been blessed in ways that I never imagined and have renewed my faith in the power of simple acts of kindness through the people who have carried me through.

As poor as my bank account is, my heart and soul are richer than they have ever been!

In March, the people of Lake Park, Florida elected me to the position of Town Commissioner. After a grueling run-off, I beat a long-term incumbent with over 65% of the vote. The job of Commissioner has been the most rewarding I have ever had. If only I could live on $9,700 a year!!!!

In this year, I have given back to my community and I feel like we are on a good path for the future. Like most communities we face difficult challenges ahead, but we have grown together and will move forward together.

Through the blog and Facebook, I have reconnected with old friends and relatives. People I have not had contact with in decades returned to my life. It has been wonderful to hear from so many people and renewed friendships.

The blog has given me a joy for writing once again. Something I hadn't done in years, but I have found that putting the words on the blog have been cathartic for me, remembering the good and bad times of life is important and the blog has given that to me. Maybe someday I will find a way to make a living with my writing, it really is something that I enjoy doing.

Many of you have embraced the blog and sent me notes through the year to encourage me to keep going. You don't know how much those simple acts of kindness have meant, I will appreciate it forever.

There are many more stories to come and I look forward to sharing them with you in 2010! I hope in some ways the blog has helped you to remember the moments in your life that were important, the ones that helped you grow, made you smile and sometimes made you cry. Memories are a powerful thing, without them our pathway through life would much less meaningful.

2009 has renewed my faith in my fellow man. From a simple hug, kiss on the cheek or telling me you are praying for me, the most important lesson I have learned this year has been that the fellowship of man is strong and thriving, when one of us is down we can rally behind the person and lift them up...... you have done that for me.

I will never be able to thank you all enough for the compassion, prayers and love you have shown me. I hope someday to pass that along in your honor to others in need.

Finally, 2009 has drawn me closer to my family and those I cherish most. Mama, Daddy, Sam, Donna, Chelsea, Zack and Aunt Beck are the most important people in the world to me. My family keeps me on track, we bicker, we laugh and we cry together, but through it all we love.

The love my family has shown me during the past year has been incredible, never judging and always without question, I am honored to be a member of the Rumsey clan!

Yes, in many ways 2009 has been a horrible year, one that I would like to forget. However, the lessons I have learned will be invaluable to me as I move forward in life. You can take my job, my money and my status, you can't take my compassion, love and the gifts that have been given to me through this year.

I will survive this and come out the other side stronger than ever before. Life isn't about the jobs we hold, the cars we drive or the money we make, it is about the friends, family and memories we cherish.

To all of you, thank you for being a part of my 2009 in more ways than I can measure the BEST year of my life!