By Cindy Sasser
When I think about moving forward into 2025, that old 1968 song by Tommy James & The Shondells plays in my mind…
“Look over yonder… what do you see
The sun is a risin’… most definitely
A new day is comin’… people are changin’
Ain’t it beautiful… crystal blue persuasion
Those lyrics are about rising out of darkness …despite what some Breaking Bad fans may believe. Someone said that song is “an anthem for a generation seeking positivity.” There’s a lot of us seeking positivity. The promise of this new year feels like a door flung open to a blue sky and a gust of fresh clean air!
If you’re anything like me you’re ready to peel off 2024 like a Straight Jacket, slam it onto the ground, and run screaming down the road. Maybe that’s a bit extreme, but for me, 2024 was a bleak year. And “bleak” is putting it lightly. My boss died suddenly, my company closed, and I lost my job. It took a year and 8 days to start working in my profession again. And that’s absolutely not for lack of trying. But I knew there’d have to be a light at the end of that tunnel and it’s there now. I’m excited to finally emerge on the other side.
I found that I’m not alone in that respect. I reached out to see what people in Allegan County felt about the new year; and the old year. I was hoping they were feeling hopeful, positive, and excited. I was happy to hear that even though a few people had a rough 2024, they felt really good about the coming new year.
Jeannie from Holland told me her story….
“I don’t have plans to say goodbye to 2024, but I have definite plans for 2025 and I am excited for it but a little fearful also. As a single mom in my 50’s I have worked jobs where I have to settle for less pay or less hours. Why? I don’t have a village to help and daycare hours haven’t been the same as factory hours. Well, my child is old enough now that she doesn’t need constant care. I am heading back to college starting January to finish earning my degree. This way I can earn more, be better able to support my child and myself and have something reliable I can do as I continue to age. It’s very hard for single income households right now if you have no skills. I am working to change that and I will complete it in less than two years.”
This is a story close to home for me and for many others. I was a single mom myself; I raised two daughters. And now my oldest is having the same struggles. With the economic issues we’ve all endured lately, daycare working against parents with their policies, hours, and costs, and the snowballing of those issues on their households… it’s a savage mountain to face for single moms.
This last year finally brought my daughter to her knees. I was really afraid for her! But being the strong young woman she is, like Jeannie above, she pulled herself back onto her feet and rose out of the ashes like a Phoenix. There’s hope for better… hope and a chance and they believe that!
We’re also seeing a collective financial positivity reflected in real estate; a great barometer. As a real estate professional I keep an eye on the market and was excited to see an article from Realtor Magazine showing a recent increase in home buying. It seems confidence is rising. The title read: “Home Sales Take Significant Leap in November”
“Momentum is building in the real estate market as improving economic conditions encourage home buyers to make a move.”
Lori from Otsego says it well and I admire her candor tremendously.
“We’ve gotten through Covid. We’ve gotten thru Biden and a near miss of Kamala. We’ve literally rounded the corner of the traffic circle, so I’m thinking very positively. God is in control and in the words of the great philosopher Mr. Marley, “Every little thing gonna be alright”.”
I’m with Lori and feeling really good about things to come. I have to say I’m also thrilled to be past the ugliest, most exhausting, election year I’ve ever experienced in my life; in my opinion. Does anyone remember one worse? That’s a relief in itself. I just want to say that I realize there are about 75 million angry, disappointed, and worried Americans right now and I don’t want to discount them, a few are my family and I love them. But I know they’re “gonna be alright.”
I think the next verse of the song applies here…
“Better get ready… gonna see the light
Love, love is the answer… and that’s all right
So don’t you give up now… so easy to find
Just look to your soul… and open your mind”
What I’m personally hoping for is that the separation we’ve experienced in 2024 can be mended. We’ve had division on so many levels; like an earth fissure that damages everything around it. Any kind of collective energy changes our trajectory as a whole. That’s how prayers work. What you project is what you get. Be careful and kind… what we feel has a ripple effect.
Good people of Allegan County have told me of many things they anticipate for 2025… new grand babies, hope for better health and peace, and some just happy to be alive. What we all share is the excitement and the promise of the new year.
While 2024 wasn’t all bad for some and may have been great for many, it’s time to give it a hug and say goodbye.
Toni from Otsego says…
“I will open the door at midnight to let the old go and let the new year In . No more sweating the small things. Life’s too short.”
