I am not against resolutions. I make them. In fact, as 2011 rang in, I made a fabulous resolution. It had nothing to do with how I looked or saved or what I wanted to stay away from. I made a resolution to love. Love what or whom? Everyone. I resolved to live a life free of anger, gossip and other such negative feelings or actions towards my fellow man/woman/child.

When I was a kid, my mom put up decorations. We had not one, but about 30 elves on various shelves, stockings, a tree skirt, ornaments and tinsel (my mom will deny ever using it, but she did). She broke out the good china for Christmas dinner and dad had Elvis, Glen Campbell and Bing Crosby on his playlist. The end.

We live in a community of runners. A lot of the credit likely goes to the Crim, specifically their training program. I watched my first Crim from the sidelines in 2009 and decided, after seeing people of all shapes, sizes and abilities doing it and owning it, that I was going to give it a try. I believed I could, especially after seeing that a lot of participants mixed running with walking; I had no idea you could walk when you were doing a “run!” (You can, much to the consternation of hard-core runners.)

I have recently learned something life-changing: I love marrying people! Between last October and this July, I married ten people. Oh, I guess that sounds bad. Clarification: I did not get married to ten people, I performed five weddings. Yes, I am a legal officiant. It all happened quite accidentally. I was reading an article about Tori Spelling (don’t judge), who had a reality show with her husband (to whom I think she is still married but I haven’t read a tabloid in a while). In the show, they owned a bed and breakfast and Tori performed wedding ceremonies. She went on and on about how easily she became an ordained minister.

A tear rolled down my cheek and splashed the greeting card in my hands as I read, Your blood donation made a real difference. I felt so much better and stronger. I am in Heaven now, but your gift bought me precious time with my family that I might not have had otherwise. Love, Stretch