Willing a New Year

Holding my precious Granddaughter, Madison's hand in mine on the day we met.

There's an old wives tale that avers that what you are doing on New Year's Day is the way the year goes. The interpretation always has to be positive.
This was not so easy for me, determined to write this year, I set out to write, but then life happened as it has a tendency to do while  attempting to control what is happening.

This is how the day went down.

First, I had purchased tickets for Credence Clearwater Revival at an exorbitant price, but worth it because they were in the 7th row orchestra in the middle section. Doesn't get much better! The tickets that arrived were in the last orchestra, under the balcony. Might as well watch it on TV at that distance. So, I called and the ticket agent agreed to refund all my money.  On New Year's Day, there was an email from paypal reporting a very partial refund. So, I called and waited forever and finally they agreed to refund it all, as originally agreed the day before.  So, no Credence Clearwater this year! Does this mean no reveries into the past when the dancing time was really hot?

With the resolve to partner with the sun in its rising each day while taking a walk, I set out to begin that daily ritual. I got some beautiful snaps of the sunrise on the lake and the walk was invigorating. Well, I downloaded all the pix I had taken during the holidays and told the program to erase them when done. I had forgotten to check these pix of the sunrise, so they didn't download and did erase.  Was this the way the year was going to unfold?  Everything I do gets erased?

I have a tendency to avoid the writing I want to do by finding something" really important" to finish first. So, suddenly as I sat down to write, I just had to finish the conference brochure I was working on with a certain sense of its not being quite right. I wanted to print it out to check the margins, but the printer decided that it had a paper jam, which it didn't at all.  Six days later, it it is working. There was a spring in the way which was part of a piece that broke - on New Year's Day - when I changed the ink. Is the year going to be full of rocks in the road?

By then, it was time to go to the river for lunch around the yule log's end.  One son who had come to Florida for the holidays, followed us on his motorcycle, but the other wanted to have some alone time to mellow out before heading north again.  The yule log had burned out the night before, so the fire, however delightful, was just chopped wood. Was I going to get there after the best had past -  all year.

My son, who I have had very little quality time for many years past, hung out with me all day and into the night. In fact, he fell asleep on the couch during the football game and didn't wake up until next morning.  What a lovely day. What a precious moment in time. We talked and shared and got caught up in a loving connection. What a perfect way to spend New Years Day - with family - just hanging together. Was this setting the tone for the new year ahead?

I did get a little writing in. Some of it was "work" related. I did have a conversation with a colleague - business and heart-sharing. I did connect with my other sons. I did connect but didn't get to talk with my daughter. I did put away all the holiday decorations. I did  take the most welcome side dish (a jalapeno cheese sauce for the gator tail)  to the picnic on the river. I did get the oranges squeezed and enjoy the mimosa. I did so much that I had not planned on doing on New Year's Day. Will the whole year proceed this way?

As I reflect on how this year will unfold, considering that the old wives tale is correct,
I will not have to dip into yore to search for happiness.
I will not have to live the wonder and the rare moments as a reflection in photo form.
I will not have to get anxious about deadlines.

I will to go with the flow and experience the bliss in the moment.
I will to dance to life here and now.
I will to hold memories in my heart and relish them as they are being created.
I will to receive each experience as precious gift.
I will to be open to possibilities for creating a planet that that has healthy sustainable systems - in my own life, and through the work I do in the world.

p.s. And if I could only hope that includes getting some good writing in!!!

Share your experience of precious life happening in the middle of your best intentions and  insights gleaned as a result.