Happy New Year!
Boy, this last year went by in a flash and I am assuming that this year will, too. As I have told you before, Malcolm and I have never gone out to “celebrate” the coming of the new year. I guess we are just not a fun couple who enjoys large crowds of people who are celebrating in a way that they will find embarrassing the next morning! In fact, I am almost embarrassed to tell you that we seldom make it to midnight to watch the ball drop. Now that we are old this doesn’t seem so strange, but I can’t really remember a year when we did stay up, even when we were younger. Oh, well. The new year comes whether we are up to cheer its arrival or not. And hopefully this year will find all of us even happier and healthier!
I was trying to think what the new year actually means to me and all I can think of is that I am going to try and enjoy every single day that is given to me. The older I get, the more I understand that life is too short to waste it being a crab! And although it is difficult to think about or realize, you just never know when you will be called “home.” Nobody likes to think about their own mortality, but if you make it your resolve to enjoy yourself every day and be thoughtful and kind to everyone, not just your loved ones, when your time comes you will know that you had a wonderful life.
After I began to mature I never made another resolution for the new year. And that was because I realized that I was always frustrated because I could never keep them. So, instead of resolving to do something that was too hard or way out of my comfort zone, I promised myself never to torture myself that way. Instead, I always think of the new year as a clean slate on which I can try and do things that I will ultimately be proud of. And what I mean is just try and be a good person every single day. Instead of trying to think of good deeds, I just try and keep my slate as clean as possible and not do anything that I ashamed of when I look back. As I think about it, maybe this is my best resolution of all. And what a relief not to have to worry about resolving to diet, exercise more, keep my house cleaner, etc. etc. Because regardless of how hard I tried, I always broke those self-serving resolutions almost as soon as the sun came up!
My advice for myself and for you is just about the same. Try and treat everyone that you come in contact with, with patience and kindness, or the same way you would like to be treated. Nothing makes better interactions than being pleasant. Think about it, how many times in the past few days has someone been very nice and kind to you? Even if it was just opening a door for you or picking up something for you that you have dropped. Small examples, I know, but if you take that and pay that kindness forward, you will be surprised at how well that works. Think about it, what is a better way to begin the new year than having kindness and niceness spread throughout your family, town, and eventually your state and then the world! Can you just imagine a world filled with kindness? Boggles the mind, right?
Well, in this new year, kindness can start with you and I assure you that it will spread. So, take a deep breath and put aside all those negative thoughts that are lurking in your mind and replace them with small acts of kindness. And then sit back and watch them spread!
From me to you and from our house to yours, may you all have a very Happy New Year. And may this happiness last throughout this new year. And remember you have a clean slate so don’t scribble all over it!
Fondly, Judy Reiss.