“And
now let us welcome the New Year
Full
of things that have never been.” ~Rainer Marie Rilke
Good
Morning!
As
the holiday festivities come to an end, and we begin taking down trees,
packing
decorations, and returning to our daily lives, pack carefully. While wrapping glass
ornaments and memories
of another year now past, hold onto the wonder of the holiday season
and the
gift of opportunity a New Year brings.
The
New Year has always been one of my favorite holidays.
Something about a fresh palette of days fills
me with a childlike joy usually reserved for young children on
gift-filled
celebrations.
I
have learned that even in the darkest times, life is always magical. Although my years, like
yours, are a
compilation of the good, the not-so-good, the magical, and the dark, I
know each
day holds gifts and opportunities.
The
New Year reminds me that each day can be a new beginning, each hour a
fresh
start.
Time
does not stand in our way – we do. For
ages, we did not have clocks or calendars directing our actions.
Today, we find people hunt for time, need
more of it, or excuse their limitations because of it. Yet,
humans created time. In 700 B.C., the Romans introduced the
first
calendar. The calendar was not intended
to trap or constrain, but to act as a tool for guiding our days.
If humans created time, then humans can also
manage it.
We
can set a new resolution every midnight: We can decide to greet each
day with
hope and opportunity. Nothing
stops us
from experiencing childlike wonder every day except our own perceptions. We can change our
perceptions and change our
lives.
Your
Turn: Spend
a moment or two reflecting
on these two questions: What
could you
possibly lose by treating each day as a gift with childlike wonder? What might you gain?
Today’s
Affirmation: This year I will not stand
in my way. Today, and every day, I take
control and realize true joy in my life.
