Wishes for my Grandkids in 2014

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

My grandkids, 2013. The family collage: Christmas Eve at Casa de Mama.

I have pretty much the same wishes for my growing grandkids, now ranging in ages from 25 down to 2 years old, this New Year's Eve as I did last year. So, with a few updates, here are my wishes for them, and for all grandkids everywhere, in 2014. 

Who knows what the future will hold for my seven grandchildren.  The world, ever-changing, holds both challenges and opportunities. The environment is fragile--global warming, the Arctic, rising seas, devastating natural disasters. Technology advances at cyber-speed. My grandkids have so many choices in this world of rapid social change. 

I hope they chose wisely.  I hope their wishes come true.  I hope they stay safe and healthy. That the god and goddesses who watch over children are always with them.  That angels like my brother Loren sit on their shoulders at all times and protect them, encourage them, give them confidence.  I hope my grandkids stay positive about life, choose a good path to their future, take life’s inevitable ups and downs with strength, even humor, and remain resilient. Yes, resilient and strong, bending with the wind like reeds.

I hope they remember that the content of their character and good values are more important than material things, that their inner spirit is more important than their outer looks, that following their inner light is  more important than following other people's. 

I hope they remember they live in a global village, that some people are less fortunate than they are, that in gratitude and with compassion they can contribute to making the world and their environment a better place. 

I pray that they grow in wisdom, stay true to themselves, follow their dreams.  These are some of my new year’s wishes for my grandchildren, and for kids of all ages all over the world.