Happy New Year!
It is common practice and at the end of each year for the media and pundits to review the highs and lows of the preceding year. 2016 was an interesting year to say the least… drought and wildfires for us, hurricanes and floods for others, history making championships in baseball and professional basketball, and there was the election.
It is tempting to moan and groan about all that has happened. Some have a tendency to watch too many news and editorial programs that paint pictures of a world filled with gloom and doom. We have all done that at one time or another. On the other hand, we can just accept what has happened. Lainey and I were listening to our local radio station one winter. The announcer was going through some cancellations until she realized they were from the day before. She immediately stopped and said “Oh, that’s already done and been had” . Translation… let’s move on.
There will be changes in 2017 and there will be challenges as well. There always is. We cannot foresee all that is before us. Some of what we face will be unavoidable. John Shell, my father-in-law and former innkeeper of Hemlock Inn, used to say a blessing some mornings …”Help us remember that it not so important what comes our way today, what is important is what we do with what comes our way”. I still say that blessing today because it is still so pertinent.
Part of my goals for the coming year is to pay more attention to what is really important…my family, my faith, my friends. I want to be less influenced by media and others telling me what I should believe and only concern myself with what is true. I want to be kind, loving, and humble. And I want Hemlock Inn to exhibit the age old values of hospitality, and genuine service to our guests. I want Hemlock Inn to be a place to escape and a stabilizing influence in unstable times
In 2017, we invite you to escape the noise and insane discourse that surrounds us and come visit our inn for some peace and quiet….and stability
Mort