Change

    Yes, I am boldly and courageously going to attack the subject of CHANGE. I, for one, am not one who likes change. I’ve always liked my life pretty much as it is…that is, until this last year. I’m not going to say anything about 2020. I am pretty sure it has all been said. I have made only one resolution for 2021. Embrace Change. For old folks such as myself, this can be tough to swallow. But served with a liberal lacing of Hope, Change might not be so bad.

   I’ve found that dwelling in the past or fretting about the future are colossal wastes of time. Right at this moment…this one right here and now…we might be missing something if we are lost in that past or future. A good memory now and then and a jolly hope for the future uplift one’s spirit, but wallowing in self pity or fearing the future can dash one’s spirit into the wet, freezing mud. Most of us, by now have found some little something to be cheery about. And most of us are encouraged by the news of an imminent cure for what ails us, be it our health and/or our finances. The changes we have endured to date are like nothing most of us have endured in our lifetimes.

   The little something I have found to be cheery about is my lovely little town of Florence. I am lucky to live downtown. I get to experience Change firsthand. Over the last nearly 20 years I’ve lived here, there has been much change – from a sleepy, struggling foothills town to the Antiques Capital of Colorado. Shops and businesses have thrived and died, come and gone. New exciting shops and restaurants have sprouted in their places, just like our gardens do each year. Yes, I think fondly of what was, but I truly enjoy the new blossoms along Main Street.

   As we say here, come find those blossoming new businesses in Florence. Or check out the old ones, which are never really old. They always have new “old” stuff you haven’t seen before. Remember to wear your mask, keep your distance, and keep your hands clean so we can all have a safe, beautiful and Change-filled New Year.