Last year the photo I posted on January 1 was of the sun coming up over the Atlantic Ocean, as Carrie and I were planted on the dry ground of Hilton Head, South Carolina.

January 1, 2016 starts with the sun up over the high tree line to the East of our house.  I stood atop a picnic table to take this shot.

So here we are.  2016 is here.  I don’t know about you, but I still have a period of adjustment every year not just with the last digit but with all four of them.  There are times I still feel like I am in 19…something.  I know.  That is my problem.

2016.

I hope the year is good to you.  I know it will be for me.  I am optimistic.  I am happy.  I am thankful.  I thank God for the opportunity and the ability to sit here and type these words and enjoy doing it.

A good way to start things is going over to my parents’ house and watching some January 1 Bowl games.  I remember last year sitting in South Carolina on New Year’s Day.  It was odd enough being out of town during the changing of the year.  It was even stranger sitting there watching College Football…particularly The Rose Bowl…my favorite…without the smell of cabbage and black eyed peas and corn bread coming from my mother’s kitchen.

I will tell you that I still cherish that picture of the sun coming up over the ocean on the first day of a new year.  There is something special about that, no matter what the day, month, or year.

1/1/15

I have many hopes, wishes, and dreams for 2016.

Most of all, I hope and pray folks will learn to get along a little better and love one another.

Our differences are no more or less than they have ever been.  Our ability and modalities to run one another down are at an all time high.  I would be glad to see the World Wide Web crash for about two weeks.  I know it would cut into speaktherights.com time; it would be worth it.  The cost would not be too great.  The mess would be worth it.

Have a great year and on occasion, don’t forget to…

Speak the rights.

Danny Johnson