End of Year for Me Almost as Bad As Start of Year for Rams

**Randy Gardner photo**By Randy Gardner

What a way to end the year both for me and to being 2016 like the Rams. First off, Happy New Year to everyone and can I say good riddance to 2015. Thank goodness, because the end of the year which was supposed to be a festive happy time turned into craziness as this old man took a tumble down the steps backwards on Christmas Eve morning and then spent Christmas day in the emergency room getting x-rays on my spine.

Thank goodness everything is fine but for some ribs and some discs. Merry Christmas to me, right. At least it was me and not one of my kids and truly that is all that matters. On one hand it was a terrible thing but on the other hand it really made me stop and realize how lucky I am to have my health and my family and cherish the good times. I always write about life changing in an instant and this could have been one of those moments.

It’s funny how life lessons sometimes get thrown back into your face. I hope everyone had a great holiday season and has made some great New Year’s Resolutions and not the same old crappy ones that you make and never keep. The ones like getting in shape with a six pack ab set or looking like a supermodel.

For most of us, probably not going to happen but it is worth the effort though. Take some advice from someone who fails every year to meet his resolutions. Take small steps and gradually increase them. Make your first resolution to lose three pounds, then 5, then 7. This will ensure success instead of failure like I always encounter. There is nothing worse than year after year feeling like you let yourself down.

A team that knows a bit about letting people down is the Rams. The team wins three in a row at the end of the season and then plays a team that is well below .500 and they blow it. The Rams had a chance to win but one amazing play on the field goal block sealed their fate. So instead of leaving us all with great thoughts about the season, most people that I have talked to just say, it’s the same ole Rams.

This will not get you community support, this will not get you a new stadium, but could mean getting you put out of town. I feel bad for the players and the fans who really care. I think the Rams give it their best effort but just lack that bit of desire amongst everyone individually that as a whole can make them winners. That is the difference between winning and losing in the NFL.

That is the difference between walking down the stairs and falling down the stairs also—one step. I have to realize at my age, which is close to 50 now, that I am not as agile as I once was, no matter how much I think I am. Hopefully 2016 will fill your life with joy and happiness and give me some grace. Remember no matter how bad you think things are, it could be worse. A life lesson we all should

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