It’s over.

Arguably one of the most difficult years of the past decade has passed. For sure, the most difficult decade of this millenium is over.

We’ve seen the historic boon of the late 1990s and early 2000s vaporize as the first decade of the 2000s wore on. It became drastically weakened by 2008 and completely obliterated in 2009.

By 2009, the housing market was firmly entrenched in the gutter as was the overall health of our nation’s economy.

None of this is unchartered waters. We’d been here before. However, it was the first time many generations had experienced such upheaval and turmoil.

With the dawn of 2010 already upon us, we’re in a unique position. The economy has shown signs of sustained recovery. We are going into 2010 on an “up tick.”

We have an opportunity to erase all the bad memories from the previous year with a new year – the first year of a new decade.

As the old song goes, “Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne?”

Happy new year, and here’s to hopes of a bight and prosperous 2010 and beyond.