It's 7:59pm on New Year's Eve. I can't believe it. It feels like I just blinked and suddenly the year was coming to an end. Amazing how that happens sometimes!!
Two nights ago, we were in Tilbury doing our annual family Christmas jigsaw puzzle and managed to finish in record time. Unfortunately, before I thought to take a picture of it, it had already been taken apart in preparation for tonight's festivities. Our annual puzzle is so great because it gives the family tons of time to sit around the table and catch up on the year gone by. Sometimes though, we catch ourselves in silence, relentlessly trying to fit a thousand little pieces together!! It was during that time that I began to reflect on 2006 and think ahead to the year ahead.
I always love the New Year. There is something terribly comforting to me about knowing that every January we are given a clean slate in which to start over. I always anxiously await the new year with great hopes and a lot of optimism about the future. While most of the population sinks into a deep depression due to visa bills and dreary days, I am usually at my best in January, roaring to go and filled with a renewed sense of vitality. I love it!!
Yes, I'll admit, I'm a sucker for resolutions!! I make a fairly standard list of commitments for the new year and, for the most part, I'm pretty good at sticking to them. I do, however, tend to make resolutions that only impact on a superficial level; like being more punctual or being more adventurous with my cooking.
This year though, I've decided on something different...something more personal and more meaningful. Something that has been a long time coming!! This year I really hope to bring myself that much closer to the ever distant idea of balance...that fine line between the small stuff and bigger picture. I have a number of small stepping stones that I hope will help me get there but, one of them is to finally cut ties with a particular Kingston resident (not you Heather...we love you way too much!!!!). For nearly four years this person has become one of the most tumultuous relationships that I have experienced and for those entire four years, I have consistently "gone back for more". Initially, I endured because I believed that there was good to be had in the relationship but, in the past year (even after a nasty falling out), I have continued to keep in touch, mostly in hopes of finding validation that I wasn't entirely wrong about this person. Really, the only thing that I ended up learning was that some people are always going to think that they are better than you.
With that being said...my new year's resolution this year is ME!! For the first time, a very conscious effort is going to be made to address what makes me happy and pursue some of the goals that I have envisioned for a long time. They aren't necessarily big goals but, they are valuable none the less.
So, as my wonderful Christina and some other friends find their way to our place to ring in the new year, I will kiss 2006 goodbye...along with some of the ties that bind. No one ever tells us that some of those ties are chains that, if we only stopped struggling long enough, we would realize that we held the very key that would unlock us from them. But, alas, some things take time to learn and with that comes another great quality about January 1st...the New Year also seems to bring new clarity!!!
Good Night and Good Luck!
Two nights ago, we were in Tilbury doing our annual family Christmas jigsaw puzzle and managed to finish in record time. Unfortunately, before I thought to take a picture of it, it had already been taken apart in preparation for tonight's festivities. Our annual puzzle is so great because it gives the family tons of time to sit around the table and catch up on the year gone by. Sometimes though, we catch ourselves in silence, relentlessly trying to fit a thousand little pieces together!! It was during that time that I began to reflect on 2006 and think ahead to the year ahead.
I always love the New Year. There is something terribly comforting to me about knowing that every January we are given a clean slate in which to start over. I always anxiously await the new year with great hopes and a lot of optimism about the future. While most of the population sinks into a deep depression due to visa bills and dreary days, I am usually at my best in January, roaring to go and filled with a renewed sense of vitality. I love it!!
Yes, I'll admit, I'm a sucker for resolutions!! I make a fairly standard list of commitments for the new year and, for the most part, I'm pretty good at sticking to them. I do, however, tend to make resolutions that only impact on a superficial level; like being more punctual or being more adventurous with my cooking.
This year though, I've decided on something different...something more personal and more meaningful. Something that has been a long time coming!! This year I really hope to bring myself that much closer to the ever distant idea of balance...that fine line between the small stuff and bigger picture. I have a number of small stepping stones that I hope will help me get there but, one of them is to finally cut ties with a particular Kingston resident (not you Heather...we love you way too much!!!!). For nearly four years this person has become one of the most tumultuous relationships that I have experienced and for those entire four years, I have consistently "gone back for more". Initially, I endured because I believed that there was good to be had in the relationship but, in the past year (even after a nasty falling out), I have continued to keep in touch, mostly in hopes of finding validation that I wasn't entirely wrong about this person. Really, the only thing that I ended up learning was that some people are always going to think that they are better than you.
With that being said...my new year's resolution this year is ME!! For the first time, a very conscious effort is going to be made to address what makes me happy and pursue some of the goals that I have envisioned for a long time. They aren't necessarily big goals but, they are valuable none the less.
So, as my wonderful Christina and some other friends find their way to our place to ring in the new year, I will kiss 2006 goodbye...along with some of the ties that bind. No one ever tells us that some of those ties are chains that, if we only stopped struggling long enough, we would realize that we held the very key that would unlock us from them. But, alas, some things take time to learn and with that comes another great quality about January 1st...the New Year also seems to bring new clarity!!!
Good Night and Good Luck!
3 comments:
Happy 2007!
It was a wonderful evening, welcoming the new year with Gen and Steve as well as with friends Chirstine and Dave.
Since Gen mentioned new year's resolutions, I thought I would add mine. After listening to a Vinyl Cafe broadcast, where writer and storyteller Stuart Mclean was talking of making this year's resolutions FUN and NOT for self-improvement, I have made a few resolutions myself in the same vein.
1) Use the term WANKER more often. ie. "Christina, don't be such a wanker!" (I have low humour as this makes me laugh.)
2) WINK! Nothing like a little extra special nudge in the form of a wink to a friend or stranger.
3) Go skinny dipping. I mean, why not?
Hope that 2007 is brings good things to all!
Happy New Year Gen & Steve & Christina,
I can not agree with both of you more. Looking after self manifests into looking after others....when you are happy others are happy and Christina I didn't think anyone over under 40 and east of the Rockies listened to CBC's Vinyl Cafe....Stuart is the best! He also suggested having Christmas year around and so I followed his lead and bought a dozen advant calenders today and Christmas presents that I will be sending out in January! Now you get the anticipation 12 months of the year! Also, my resolution for the past several years has been to review my SUCCESSES of the departing year, this always amazes me and leaves me facing the inbound year with a smile.
All the very best to all of you in 2007
Hey Mom!
Does this mean that you are nearing the anticipated blog of your own?? Sign me up...I wanna read it!!!
And miss Christina...don't be such a wanker **wink wink** !!!!
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