There’s a reason why, as the days tick down on any year, the old year which is fading into history is depicted as an old man trying not to trip over his white beard.
Because it certainly feels that way. As we come to the end of a year, dragging the baggage of the past 365 days, the emotion is always one of fatigue, of being tired with the year we’re leaving and looking forward to the next as, somehow, being different.
The new year is depicted, of course, as a baby, smiling and happy and looking forward to the next 365 days as being full of promise.
What we don’t think about is that one year ago it was 2019 which was depicted as that bouncing baby. A year sure ages you when you’re a year.
Before 2019 slides down the memory spiral, let’s take one more look at it. It was a year of change.
Our area is in transition. We are no longer dependent on the “heavy industry” of the past. You don’t have to look far to see it. A few miles outside of Rockdale, high-tech cryptocurrency mining is either happening, or about to happen, in places which once made metal the old way.
Bitmain and Whinstone are part of our future.
Elsewhere in the area we are seeing the promise of businesses which turn sunshine into energy. That’s good. We have plenty of it.
The fading year produced a mixed bag for two more major stories The Reporter has followed during 2019.
As the year dawned, our town was without medical facilities. Two clinics opened during 2019 even if health care here still faces an uncertain future.
There’s plenty of promise as a couple of major health players—CHI St. Joseph’s and the Texas A&M Health Sciences Center—are involved in Rockdale. What is still to be determined is who exactly will pay for the innovations? Hopefully it will not be solely the Rockdale taxpayer.
Something similar went on during the year with the seemingly always-with-us problem of “red water.”
First steps have been taken toward replacing our city’s antiquated water supply and delivery systems. The changes continue to evolve and go in new directions.
But, again, the price tag is being borne by city ratepayers. More, much more, to come in 2020.
Those are some of the big stories and you will be able to read about more of them in The Reporter’s annual year-ender to be published next week.
But, don’t forget, each year is also made up of thousands of personal “little stories,” which are not little at all for those to whom they happened.
Goodbye 2019. You were some good, some bad, lots of just living.
What’s next?
There’s no doubt about one thing. 2020 will be full of something. Let’s hope it’s full of only the best for our community, our area and all the people residing here.—M.B.
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