Through my Eyes

"Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you; to ignore what the world owes you, and to think what you owe the world; to put your rights in the background, and your duties in the middle distance, and your chances to do a little more than your duty in the foreground; to see that your fellow-men are just as real as you are, and try to look behind their faces to their hearts, hungry for joy; to own that probably the only good reason for your existence is not what you are going to get out of life, but what you are going to give to life; to close your book of complaints against the management of the universe, and look around you for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness - are you willing to do these things even for a day Then you can keep Christmas. By Henry van Dyke, The Spirit of Christmas

As we close this year and this is my last edition, I admit most gracefully that I approach it with a big long sigh. If its one thing I've learned this year is to breath deep and step back.

2018 has been an interesting year; politically the world is at its most evil. The threat of war echoes down to the furthest corners of the globe, somehow finding its way day south to our little paradise.

Economics have been worrisome for many companies. Globally the markets have suffered some serious challenges, here in our booming little haven on the North Coast, we had to adapt to the changes and try and figure out the alternatives.

Many people have left us, some unfortunate deaths, heartbreak and sadness. Some left the continent in search of greener pastures, in search of the 'ultimate dream' of a better life.

Each one of us is missing someone at our Christmas table. This painful longing intensifies as we realise that things are different and they will never be the same again.

No matter where we find ourselves right now, we are all yearning for the same thing - peace and happiness. Love and acceptance. Prosperity and success. After all it's the least we deserve for our families and ourselves.

I hope the last twelve months of our journey together have brought some respite for you, no matter how rocky and turbulent it has been, we were always finding those occasional rays of pure sunshine to help us out of the darkness.

It is my hope and dream that through my column you found some happiness and relief from the daily grind, if not, I promise to try and be better in the new year, after all my only wish is to encourage you, my most esteemed readers, not simply to accept the unexpected circumstances of our lives, but to embrace them like the things we wished for all along.

At this very auspicious time I would like to remind you that everything, everyone, and every moment is a miracle. Let's embrace the New Year with the vengeance and stand up to the challenges that face us.

Let us set everything aside and consolidate our energies for a fresh new start in the New Year.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, may you have a beautiful holiday!