Happy New Year!

I stood in the shower on January 1st and washed away the old year, it genuinely felt like starting from fresh, out with the old and in with the new.
Last year wasn't a bad year but it was a year of discovery for me. Many of my values were questioned in the course of my life and found lacking. Many of my beliefs were brought into focus and found to be hollow and some beliefs, childish as they are, I still believe despite the evidence to the contrary.

My conservative nature clashed with my humanity over the last year. I discovered that I did care passionately about animals and their lack of habitat and our lack of concern and understanding are the problems.
Towards Christmas I saw far too many homeless people in areas that have never had homeless people and they are all young. There is something dreadfully wrong with a rich society that allows young people to fall through the cracks and end up living on the street, and no, there is no shelter open to them, it was closed until today,
Many people will throw out the line that they don't give to the homeless incase they spend it on drink or drugs. I don't care what they spend it on, it is whatever it takes to get them through the day or the night. My wife did give some young chap some money and we saw him 10 minutes later buying a sandwich in a coffee shop (she then bought him a cup of tea).

But this is a new year and a fresh start with a positive attitude. I am hoping that this year we can change the World. I don't think that is over ambitious and last year, 2014, people power became a thing. People finally found ways of making their feelings known in ways that transcend the hollowness of Facebook and most trendy social media. Twitter became the real tool that was used to alert the masses and organise people to action and it appears that the Internet may prove to be the giant slayer this year, uncovering some horrible truths and bringing the untouchables to justice, we can but hope.

Roll on 2015, may you be a year of change and a year of hope.

PS. That belief I hold that is childish? I still believe in Father Christmas, it may be the spirit of Father Christmas or it may be a belief in the magic of the time of year, who knows.