2009 - The Wild Ride

As we begin the new year - 2010. I feel the need to look back on the year past. Many people are spending time dwelling on the passing of a decade, and I also have mixed feelings about the first ten years of the 21st century, but I want to give 2009 its due.

In a life which is quickly counting down the months to a half century, I can think of few years that rival 2009 for sheer roller coaster ferocity.

As the world at large suffered under the weight of an economy in spiral, so my small piece of the world was under economic siege. At this time last year, the small company I work for was facing hard choices. We had some work, but poor cash flow. My brother Craig, our co-worker Brian and I all work for a gentleman named Charlie Strange.

Charlie, whose literary ancestor would have to be Mr. Fezziwig from A Christmas Carol, put a lot of his own money and effort into keeping us afloat through the crisis.

Small businesses survive when they are led by people who put loyalty before fear and look toward the future instead of wallowing in the present. A total team effort is also required. Thanks Craig and Brian. Thanks Charlie. (Oh, and thanks to Charlie's wife Leslie too.)

In spite of the flow of macro and micro economics, life goes on. My family was busy with school and work and our theatre activities throughout the year. I performed in two musicals, Kiss Me Kate and Gypsy at Theatre Winter Haven. My daughter, Roxanne, turned 18, graduated from high school and started college all this year. My daughter Audrey turned 16 and is ready to follow her sister to college and beyond. My son Marcus turned 13 and gave us the distinction of being a three teen family. My wife Cristina finished her first year of teaching drama at Jewett School of the Arts and taught in two different theatre summer camps, directed three shows and helped stage manage the aforementioned musicals.

These would have been normal happenings in one of our crazy years, but for the surprises in 2009.

The first surprise...

On March 18, barely six months after his diagnosis, my father, Dr. James E. Hartfield, Jr., passed away. Our entire family, including children and grand children were present with him when he passed. We held a memorial in April. He was 73.

Many families have a patriarch who provides a sense of stability and security for all members of the family. My father was such a man. Just knowing he was there made us feel safe. There is no replacing him.

But he would be the first to want us to keep on going and helping and loving each other. And so we do.

The second surprise...

Roxanne graduated from Harrison School of the Arts on June 3rd. On June 4th, Cristina went to an annual doctor's appointment and came home with the news that she was pregnant. Almost five months pregnant. She thought she was putting on a little weight.

Now, we had been told about six years ago, by doctors who are supposed to know, that we would have a very hard time conceiving a child. So, after ten years of marriage we had accepted that we would have no children together.

On October 27th, after about eight hours of labor, Taylor David Hartfield was born.

Taylor is happy and healthy. Tall and thin (much like his granddaddy Hartfield). And much beloved by all of our family and extended family.

Needless to say, all of the normal events of our lives were effected by this "changing of the guard" in our family. My father left us, but did not leave us short-handed.

The adventures of our year served to remind me of the importance of all of our families. The one we inherit by birth and the ones we adopt along the way. All of our "families" helped us get through the adventures of 2009 and shared the joys and sorrows with us.

I think often of the saying, "Man proposes, God disposes." And God changed our plans in a big way in 2009. But as usual, He provided us with what we needed to persevere. And even strengthen our ties to Him and each other.

So, the question as we enter 2010 and a new decade is this...

What next? What's in store in 2010?

After 2009, I think we can handle it.

With a little help from our faith, our family and our friends.

- Mark