Ring Out The Old; Ring In The New

I don't know about you, but I always look forward to the first day of January. I really couldn't care less about New Years Eve and I find that the usual festivities of the New Year celebrations are generally ridiculous and, for me at least, contradictory to the general purpose of the celebration. The thought of going out and drinking obscene amounts of alcohol, waking up with a headache and pictures of any stupid behavior circulating on the Internet, just makes my head swirl...

OK, so I'm a bit of a party pooper I guess. For me, celebrating the New Year is representative of how I hope to spend the New Year. I have a habit of perusing my new, clean, empty calendar...in this case, the calendar for 2012. I love to see which days of the week certain dates fall on and as I turn from month to month, I visualize the anticipated events of each block of days. I see flowers peeking their tiny heads out of snow covered ground welcoming a new season. I see the excitement in the eyes of my *precious* grandchildren as they turn one year older, start school, learn to ride bikes, swim, skate and consume every new second with excitement and wonder. I also see anniversaries; some joyful, some sad. I feel the beloved sun warming my face, visualize amazing vacations, then the leaves filling in on the branches of the old willows in my yard, and then the leaves falling, creating a huge mess on my lawn and the eventual return to the excitement and anticipation of yet another season of the Holidays..Cycles....you get the point.

Each time that I look at all of these blank squares, the starkness of the emptiness hits me and I realize what a HUGE blessing my new calendar is. Each day is blank, clean, fresh and waiting for me fill it up! I have the choice, each day, to fill it with goodness, excitement, growth and progression, happiness, joy, peace, service and love OR, I have the choice to squander each precious moment wallowing in my own self-pity, wasting precious time filling it with useless, senseless things. Every year, I am faced with these choices...it becomes a sort of responsibility to me.

Those of you who know me, know that I don't set your typical New Years Resolutions. I do set goals, but I have found that disappointment and let-down often accompany my ever well intentioned resolutions. So, instead, I have adopted one Word that I try to center on as a focus for all that I do. For every decision I make and every action that I take. This is something that I seriously contemplate and ponder because it will be my companion for 365 days and will hold me accountable for my entire life experience in 2012...

So after much thought and prayer, my word is: BALANCE

Life offers so many changes. As I fill in my 2012 calendar with the known plans, I also realize that in an instant those plans can (and usually will) be changed. Each square represents a day in my life that hasn't yet been lived and if, God willing, I am still around to live that particular square, I want it to count. I have struggled with Balance in 2011. My life took some huge detours; some were anticipated, others were complete shockers. As a commuter trying to balance life in two different states, its only fitting that this is my new word. I have faltered in this area and hope to improve immensely.

So as I ring out the old and lay it to rest, I look forward to ringing in the new and anticipating the challenges, joys, triumphs and even sorrows that are waiting for me to embrace. Through it all, I hope to emerge stronger and more vibrant. I hope to fill each day with uplifting, inspirational material that will hold my hand as I walk with Balance through my journeys and to my destinations of life.

I pray that we all have a 2012 filled with Peace, Love, Happiness, Endurance, Prosperity, Health and Total Joy. It's inevitable that we will all be tried and tested, but may we all rise triumphant and emerge stronger, wiser and more fulfilled than ever! God Bless...

Oh! The Places You'll Go!

As I have been reflecting over this past year, I have been absolutely amazed at the number of changes that have taken place in such a seemingly short time. I have started a new job which required me to be away from my family for one month during a training period, I subsequently was forced to make an immediate move to another state. Then I lost my sweet father whom had been my anchor, strength or rock, if you will, for over half a century. The one thing that I am absolutely certain of is that change is inevitable!

The past two weeks have been a real test for me. I have been off work and able to be home but have faced a few health challenges...nothing huge, but definitely significant and potentially life-altering if not attended to. Thankfully, all is well. My doctors have done their jobs, proper meds have been prescribed and I am feeling great. But, during this "off" time, I have had cause to reflect on the Path my life is on and to really see if this is according to the "Script" that I wrote for myself. At times, I have seriously considered resigning from my job. Questions have arisen..."is it worth it to be away from the most important people in my life?"

That's HUGE!!

Discouragement has set in at times. Frustration, Consternation, Doubt and even Sadness has replaced, Hope, Excitement and Successes. Then I ran across a sweet children's book that put perspective back into my life. Perhaps you've heard of it...(WARNING...this is long, but worth the read!)

Oh! The Places You’ll Go!

by the incomparable Dr. Seuss

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!


You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.


You’ll look up and down streets. Look’em over with care. About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.” With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you’re too smart to go down a not-so-good street.


And you may not find any you’ll want to go down. In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town. It’s opener there in the wide open air.


Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you.


And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.


Oh! The Places You’ll Go!


You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.


You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.


Except when you don’t.
Because, sometimes, you won’t.


I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.


You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch.


You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.


And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.


You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?


And if you go in, should you turn left or right…or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.


You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.


The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.


Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.


Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.


No! That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying. You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!


Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.


Except when they don’t. Because, sometimes, they won’t.


I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.


All Alone!
Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.


And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.


But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go though your enemies prowl. On you will go though the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and your sneakers may leak. On and on you will hike. And I know you’ll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are.


You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.


And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed.)


Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

So as I progress on my own personal journey, a simple children's book had lighted my way. I'm not sure what I'll do, but I am proud to say that I'll be sure when I step and I'll step with care and great tact, remembering always, that "Life's a Great Balancing Act!"