So all the wonderful winter holidays are almost past us. Christmas with all its promise, magic and wonder (not to mention very yummy presents) has come and gone once more. And now it's time to look toward another year.In our family we think of a new year as a fresh start because we're really not all that nutty about telling a year good bye at this stage of our lives. We love all the holidays from Thanksgiving right on through New Year's Eve because even though there can be ups and downs, overall it's a very happy time. But then the year is gone and especially for Meme that's not such a great thing since she turns the calendar and sees she's suddenly another year older. This year she's especially flustered since she says it's the last year in a particular decade or something which I guess isn't such a good thing? As for me, I turn the page on my very first decade in the new year and it's very unlikely I'll ever turn the page on another. So she should be happy she's had so many.
Endings just aren't fun, but beginnings sure are. Like the beginning of a trip when the possibilities of what will happen on the road ahead a
re boundless ... or the beginning of a brand new day. As pretty as a sunset is, darkness follows. But think about the dawn ... light follows. It's the beginning, the sun comes up and everything looks fresh, sparkling and new. The day stretches out before us like a flower about to bloom.Maybe that's why people make resolutions; they figure it's a new beginning, a fresh start. And no matter how many times they break those resolutions, they still make 'em!!! You would think after pledging to do something every year and then not following through, they'd just stop doing it. But they don't! Every year January 1 rolls around and people promise to stop smoking, lose weight, start working out (whatever that is ... Meme won't tell me). And they're pretty good about it for awhile, but come February ... something happens and they slip.
So I've been giving this a lot of thought and wondering what sort of resolution I could make and stick to. After all, I'm pretty darned close to perfect as it is. I'm very fit, I do a lot of walking and running. I'd eat more if I could, but for some reason I don't get to choose what or when I eat. So getting pudgy isn't an option for me.
And then it came to me ... came in a way so many thoughts come ... almost a whisper. Like Meme, I believe there really are no coincidences, thoughts don't suddenly appear out of the clear blue sky. Something made me remember these words .... "And on Earth peace, good will toward men."
Have we just heard the words too many times? Are they just words we read or sing over the Christmas holidays? Meme says respect and good will are a thing of the past and I sure hope not. I think she's wrong. I think we watch too much TV where we sure as heck don't see any good will what with Snooki, the Housewives of just about everywhere, reality this and reality that ... and don't even get me started on what they call news these days. And politics seems to get in the middle of almost everything and there's no sign of good will there.
But in this great big world is it really gone? I believe most ordinary creatures of the earth still wish for peace and feel good will toward all mankind. I see it around me every single day with all the good things people do for each other, just regular folks like you and me who open up their hearts, their arms and their homes to help and be there for others. We really do look out for each other despite what you may see on the nightly news.
So I think, as we go into this new year, maybe we should renew our vow to have the greatest good will we can muster for everyone in the world. This isn't an easy resolution. We can't just think as far as next door or down the block, or even around the corner. We have to reach beyond our states, across nations and around the world.
There are really more of us than there are of "them"; there are more like me who greet every person and every dog, I see with anticipation that something good is coming my way. We're living in a world where strangers help strangers when tough times come along. There's always someone whose eyes light up when they see me ... even if they've never seen me before.
This is a good world and I won't give up on it, Meme won't give up on it; Poppy's not so sure (he's a tough sell), but we're working on him. So for our resolution this year let's all hang in and hold tight so that just maybe this will be the year the magic happens. This is something we can all stick to by just getting up every morning and make some time to go a little bit out of our way just to bring a smile to someone.
Wishing everyone a healthy and wonderful new year. But most of all I wish for you much love and lots of laughter because when we have that, all things are possible.
'Til Next Year ...
Molly & Her Family
