Last night at 5 seconds until midnight, I stood, broom at ready, and my hand on the west-facing sliding glass door.  At the stroke of midnight, I opened the door, and swept out all of the dirt and misery of 2012 and told it to stay out.  Then I ran to the east facing front door, swung it open and bade welcome to 2013, asking it to be kind to us, please.

By 5 past 12, I was back in my bed, listening to all of the fireworks going off around me.  My neighbors were welcoming in 2013 in their own way.  Then I hunkered down and went to sleep.

Please, Dear Lord, let this year be good.  It cannot make up for the losses and miseries that 2012 brought us, but it can make looking forward to the unknown future easier to bear.  Please bring peace, blessings and prosperity to our small, blue planet.  And, please, give us the courage to let bygones be bygones and to see the positive in everything rather than dispairing over the negative.  Please let us meet one another with smiles and out-stretched hands of love, not with guns, greed and words of hatred.  Please help us to be all that You meant us to be.  Amen.