We made it through another 365 days on our spinning planet and are ready to welcome the next. The recent holiday season was hard to predict and delivered a sort of roller coaster ride for many. Hopefully all our readers landed on the upside and had a terrific season.

Speaking of ups and downs, the economy seemed to mostly have been in a back slide for 2011, giving only brief glimpses of recovery. Even so, tea continues to be the comfort food of many, providing gentle succor and a non-caloric way to indulge the senses. This bodes well for the tea purveyor, small or large. Though if solely a brick and mortar venture, it might be time to consider an online presence for broader exposure to a variety of clients in case your locality is struggling.

The New Year 2012 is an election year here in the US and so with that cloak of uncertainty we can probably expect more of the same. Expect economic fluctuations, more tales of hardship and a bumper car ride of starts and stops. This might sound gloomy; so let me share some of the more luminous features of twenty-eleven.

From times of hardship come inspiring tales of generosity. In 2011 many people who were able, reached out and helped those less fortunate. We saw many heart-breaking stories of jobs lost, homes foreclosed upon and even towns brought to a standstill. Then there were stories of people stepping in to help. Those who had shared with those to had not, and it carried through the holiday season. Many anonymous benefactors paid off layaway balances for those who had toys on their list making dreams come true and easing the burden of many. Human kindness!

Perhaps in 2012 this trend will broaden and more folks will reach out and more will be helped. Even just a moment of support can save one from a serious tumble. The best thing about the future is it has not yet happened and anything is possible! May sharing and caring become the prevailing winds of the coming year. If so, perhaps confidence will grow and a nice steady recovery can begin.

Wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!