Reflections and Resolutions

The Countdown….10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1…. Happy New Year!!!!

We enjoyed watching the fireworks display on the Sydney Harbour Bridge on TV. They try to outdo themselves each and every year - it gets more and more spectacular. It certainly was a sight to see.

We pick up the phone to call the ‘rellies’ (Aussie talk for family and relatives) wishing them a Happy New Year in the cheeriest and loudest voices we could muster which is not as easy when your voices have already gone to sleep on you! After those first few minutes, the kids went straight to sleep, settling down as if it were just another day. I had yet to wait until 4am before I could give my New Year’s wishes to my husband in Thailand. (We are 4 hours ahead). I climbed into bed to catch a few winks, and shortly after, find myself stumbling out of bed to make that special call…this time my voice was really asleep! I was still asleep!

It’s New Year! I’m up at my usual time at 6:00am. The house is quiet. It’s my favorite time of the day, when I can sit peacefully sipping a cup of coffee or two, my quiet time, planning the day.

New Year for me always brings that tingling feeling that I used to get, as a child, on the morning of my birthday, or at Christmas, the wondrous feeling of joyous anticipation. There is a fresh crispness in the air, a new awareness of life. Yes, we are at yet another turn of a new lap in the course of our lives. What lies ahead? A chance to ‘turn another leaf’…..Reflecting…..what would you change if you were to ‘start over’?

New Year’s Resolutions are merely a wish list, but it’s a good start:

I am going to devote more personal time with God.
I am not going to ‘pull my hair and scream’ at every antic my 5 year old pulls on me.
I am going to be calm and collected – no more ‘panic attacks’. No more stress.
I am going to plan my time better; be more organized.
I am going to have more quality time with my husband and kids.
I am going to stop and smell the flowers and savour every moment.

New Year’s Day is quiet, peaceful, no responsibilities pending because all the shops, banks, and post office are closed. The kids are sleeping late. (If the New Year falls on the weekend like this year, you are blessed with another day of pure bliss.) “What better time to start afresh?” you muse. I glance around the room, the housework still needs to be done, meals to prepare. After the New Year break, the cars are back out on the street, traffic congesting, bills needing to be paid, errands to run, grocery shopping to do, taxi-ing of kids to ‘hang outs’….the busyness of life starts crowding you in. You grit your teeth in determination. If only I had a moment to breathe!!

Then I remember…

It only takes a moment… to smile.
It only takes a moment… to sniff a flower.
It only takes a moment…to whisper a prayer.
It only takes a moment to say the words… ‘I love you”.
It only takes a moment …to show someone you care.

Go ahead and savour ‘the moments’ and let it truly be a year that brings you joy and fulfilment.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Copyright 2006. Rebecca Laklem.