Happy New Year to all,

And welcome to 2012.  Since 2007, my life and those connected to me have endured loss, even heartbreaking loss, celebrated joys, and discovered that life takes on a crooked path. There were times when, upon awaking, that I wanted everything to be different, and there were times when I went to sleep glad to have seen the day.

This year may or may not bring prosperity to those who find themselves in dire straits; it may or may not bring about great changes in politics or global anything. Someone will wake up to do harm, another will arise to save a life, and another just manage to survive; and, upon and within that crooked path I am on,  I will probably be on a first name basis with at least one or all of these people.

I am resolute that this year I will make every effort to wake up and hold love close to my heart.  I believe this step will help me in 2012. It will remind me to help those who are in need, knowing that paths take on trouble and strife in all walks of life; it will be that one thing which will keep me strong in my faith of a higher power, the worth of my family and the worth of all human beings; it may keep me sane when I feel as if I am talking on a different radio frequency than everyone else.  When I succeed in doing this and can hold love in my heart, I will see my children burn with a brighter energy and people around me respond with more ease and lightness. I will be more able to deal with the crooked path of life and more capable of forgiving myself of my own stupidity.

Luckily for me, I have more chocolate tiles to make and create. Holding love close to my heart while I  create something that gives a moment of happiness to others, well, I am sure that this resolution  may be the secret ingredient to all good things in life (oops, I guess that is like giving away a trade secret if it makes my chocolate taste delicious). So, from my house to yours, I give you my trade secret for 2012.