A Year of Transition

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;



http://mytrainmaster.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/road-less-traveled.jpg



 

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

~Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken

Happy New Year Everyone!  Welcome to 2012! 

It's interesting how much difference a day makes.  Really, when you think about it, there is not much difference between December 31st and January 1 - they are just two days out of 365 (or 366) on the calendar.  And yet, there is a great deal of difference.  For one is the end, and the other is a new beginning.  One causes us to look back on the year just past, while the other causes us to look forward to the year ahead.

2011 was filled with many ups and downs.  I made some wonderful new friends and even renewed some old friendships from my childhood (thank you Facebook!).  I discovered some wonderful food bloggers and hopefully shared some recipes and tips that helped all of you too.  I got to see Grand Teton National Park and Craters of the Moon National Monument  - fulfilling a couple of items on my bucket list.  But I also broke my leg, had to deal with school issues, and on and off bouts with insomnia, among other things.

But now it's 2012 - the new year, and a new beginning, a time to look ahead with hope.  The slate has been wiped clean!

I mentioned in my last post that I am not really big on resolutions, but I did make one for this year...

...to make it to 2013.

I know it's a bit broad, but unlike a lot of resolutions, it should be readily achievable barring a major trajedy (God forbid!) or the Mayans being right all along.  In which case none of this really matters...

The real challenge with my resolution is not in the achievement, but in the path I take to get there.

One of my friends from high school decided that the word for 2012 is - conniption.  Given that I'm a parent that will probably be an appropriate word on several occasions. 

My word for 2012 is transition. 

On a grand scale, it's difficult to explain this without getting into a long, drawn out dissertation on life.  But I think many of you have been there before.  Things happen and circumstances change to the point where you realize that decision needs to be made - do I stay on the same path I'm on, or do I change and plot a new course?  Well, the choice has been made - by January 1, 2013, be it the Will of God, or the Mayans, I expect to be in a different place than I am right now.

The real fun of 2012 is deciding which path to take to get there.  That's why my 2012 will be one of transition.

Part of the 2012 transition will occur with this blog as well.  At least that is my hope.  It's hard to believe that I have been blogging for almost 4 1/2 years.  I have learned so much in that time, met wonderful new people including some of my best friends, and I'd like to believe that my writing as well as my cooking has matured since I started back in August 2007.  I began this blog with the goal of helping those getting started on the GFCF lifestyle, knowing how challenging it was for my family.  And that continues to be my primary goal.  But I think it could be so much more.  I do have a visiion, and I hope it is one that will be embraced by all of you, my dear readers.  And 2012 will hopefully see that vision bceome reality.

In the meantime, my short term goal is hopefully begin blogging again more frequently, and focusing on providing you with recipes, tips, links, information, and anything else I can to enhance and improve your GFCF experience.

Thanks for reading - and Happy New Year!