On my way to work this morning, I noticed the man who makes his "home" under the highway bridge. He is usually standing out by the left-hand turn lane with his sign. It is not the best place to stand as the cars cannot stop as they make the turn and so I don't think he is able to bring in a lot of charity. As I made my turn, I glanced over at his "home". It was set up high right underneath where the upper highway meets the support structure of the bridge. I noticed his sleeping bag "bedroom" and then something bright caught my eye. There next to his little "dining table" he had placed a colorful box of flowers as to add a bit of hope to his little "home".
Hope. I think that is what we all think about at this time of the year. As the New Year begins, we all think about what it will bring. Without hope we would be anxious and lost. We hope that this year will be the year where there will be more peace, more good health, and yes, even more joy.
Just like this man who found something to brighten up his otherwise dismal surroundings, let's make plans to find new ways to brighten the future for our patients and our populations who live with diabetes. Let's hope they have a healthier year and are able to find the peace and yes, the joy, of living well with diabetes. And, ultimately, let's hope that this is the year when we finally find a cure for diabetes.