Holiday Letter 2019
December 2019
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Dear Friends and Family,
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Every year has its ups and downs. 2019 was interesting, inspiring, frustrating, odd, ugly, loving, hateful, full of lies, and beautiful all at once. “The Devil’s Been Busy” by the Traveling Wilburys does a decent job of summing things up. But we made it through! And we’re glad to be here.
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We were able to do some traveling, had a few house problems/adventures, worked, laughed, and as we took another tour around the sun, our health seems to be doing its own thing, not all of it predictable or desirable. But most of all, we were able to connect with family and friends, even making some new ones. We can almost hear the “Friends” theme song playing in the background. And as 2019 comes to a close, that’s the thing that is most important to us...the people around us: they might be right next door, a continent away, or even only on Facebook, but they are still connected with us. We want to take this time during the holidays to rejoice in our friends and family.
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Captain & Tennille sang it best…”Love Will Keep Us Together”. We’re super lucky so have so much love surrounding us. It inspires us, warms our hearts, and gives us hope. During this holiday season, we rejoice in its many forms, like the shining lights on an eclectically decorated Christmas tree. It doesn’t matter your age, your orientation, your skin color, your religion, your shape, or your binary, non-binary, or fluid gender. Love brings happiness to the world. Congratulations to those that have gotten engaged this year. Love is love in any form and keeps us strong!
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This year has been a rollercoaster and the coming year looks to be similar. And with the love and friendships we’ve had, we’ve also given and received much generous support. Thank you. At times, it might feel like “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” by Simon and Garfunkel is your soundtrack. We’ve learned how to be better people and offer encouragement to those around us in 2019. In California, there have been more devastating fires and power outages this year and the victims need our support. Tragedy doesn’t just hit in California. Victims everywhere need our support. We wrote part of this letter on Transgender Day of Remembrance. Our Trans community needs our support and love more than ever. Sadly, this year we’ve also lost friends to suicide, so don’t forget to give support to those who may need it, even before they ask for it. Volunteer, say a kind word, donate time or money to a cause you believe in, give someone who needs it a hug. Lift others up instead of pulling them down. Treat everyone equally...or better...even if the world doesn’t.
As 2019 comes to an end, we hope you find and give respect, understanding, and acceptance in the coming year. Listen to some good tunes, perhaps “Rainbow Connection” by Kermit the Frog, if you need a place to begin. Make time for travel, even if it’s a quick trip around the block. See the world with fresh eyes. Be good to Mother Earth. Vote. Vote wisely. Treat others with kindness and do good things. And most importantly...open your arms to the world...build bridges, not walls.
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Holiday Love,
--Colin and John
