Tally Up

Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness.

Shakespeare
*****************
We call it New Year's Eve instead of Old Year's End because it's a time for looking forward, of beginnings and of nativity, a gate way into our future. As of this writing it is almost January, named for Janus the two faced god, who could see both forward and back, who could look into the past and into the future, the god of gates and doorways.

As I look back over the past month I see that I have made an entry into this journal every day. And I know I would not have been able to do that without the kindness and generosity of some wonderful people who supplied me with a new computer, many of whom are still anonymous to me. I am reminded of that every time I turn the computer on and my heart is "replete with thsnkfulness."

For 70 years "these vagabond shoes" have taken me into many places, they have hitchhiked across the country, climbed the mountains of New Hampshire and walked the streets of New York, they have taken me into danger and out of it, into romance and out of it. And now, as an old warrior with uncertain steps, with no buddy down the street, with no companion, no partner, no soul mate, I am deeply thankful for the comradeship of my fellow journalists, this society of invisible friends, this band of bloggers and emailers. Today I think that if I was a millionaire I would travel gracefully, by rail and sail, to visit each and every one of you I feel close to. To spend a day with you , see how you live, share a jar and have some good fun and conversation. That's a future to be longed for. For now I'm looking back.

I'm going over the whole month of December to see what I've done and, like a good English professor and literary critic, grade every entry, with one to five stars, for interest, importance, style and content. You may take a break and talk among yourselves while I do this.

* = okay ** = better *** = good
**** = very good ***** = you better read this

1 Absolute Answers **
2 Thunderous Thinking ***
3 Mangled Morality *****
4 Consider The Lilies *****
5 Give It Up ****
6 Violent Virtue ****
7 The End Of The Tether *****
8 Hello **
9 Grateful Gatheringg ***
10 Alchemical Advantage *****
11 The Beginning - again ***
12 Moral Manifesto *****
13 Search For The Invisible *
14 Thinking Outside The T-shirt *****
15 Chords Of Character ***
16 Look Unto The Hills ****
17 Damn The Torpedoes - Full Speed Ahead ****
18 Knocking On The Noggin ****
19 Sold On Solo ***
20 Loose Ends *****
21 Winter's Quest ****
22 Doer Doing Deed *****
23 Philosopher's Stone *****
24 Basic Blessedness *****
25 Greetings *
26 False Forts *****
27 Let The Artist Loose ***
28 Mind's Halftime *****
29 Pennies From Heaven *
30 Water, Water Everywhere ***
31 Tally Up ****

http://vagabondjourneys.blogspot.com/

DB