Happy New Year #3

“…there is always something to celebrate, so long as life if being lived. Seeing your cup as half full rather than half empty is more than a sappy aphorism. It is the key to enduring happiness.” ---from Happier than God by Neale Donald Walsch


Yes, I know. New Year’s Day is January 1, but I’ve always liked the idea of having more than one new beginning during the 12-month period from January 1 to December 31. In fact, I have three. The first is the traditional one, the second is my birthday at the end of February, and the third is today – September 1.

Why three? Isn’t one new beginning a year enough?

Not for me. I’m a big fan of reassessing, taking a look at what’s been working for me and what hasn’t, and then readjusting my priorities. There have been years when one or more of the resolutions I’ve made on January 1 weren’t really right for me anymore by the end of February. So, in classic do-over style, I reassess and readjust on my birthday. That day marks the start of my journey through earth school mumble-something years ago, and I’ve always believed that on February 24 I owe it to myself to re-start (sometimes jump-start!) my journey from wherever I happen to be.

September 1, in my mind, has always marked the end of summer – time to settle down again and study. Back in the day, school started on or about September 1, and with the beginning of another school year, I always vowed to make the most of the opportunities I’d have to learn new things. I’ve been out of school a long time, but every year on September 1, I still feel the urge to commit once again to learning new things.

This year on January 1, my one and only resolution was to savor all the wonderful things life has to offer. That resolution worked so well for me that I stuck with it in February. Granted I’ve savored some things a little too much – Christi’s amazing carrot cake, Blue Belle mint chocolate chip ice cream, Cadbury’s milk chocolate almond candy bars. Some ratcheting back will now occur. I will focus more on savoring blueberries in vanilla yogurt (low fat!), fresh tomatoes and toasted walnuts on my Bob’s Red Mill 5-grain cereal.

I also savored the first real vacation I’ve had in years. Not only was it a paid vacation; I did not – for the first time in 20+ years – have a deadline of any kind hanging over my head. I can’t tell you how many “vacation” trips I spent in hotel rooms writing pages while my family skied or snorkeled.

Nick and Jill (see photo) made my week in the mountains of North Carolina a true delight. I read, I walked, I wrote in my journal, I took photographs, and I enjoyed every bite of the healthy gourmet meals they made for me. I even hiked up Roan Mountain – no small achievement for me. Talk about magnificent vistas to savor. I’ll be visiting them again sometime in the near future, this time in Flagstaff, Arizona – another place I’m looking forward to savoring.

In the past eight months, I’ve slowed down enough to also savor good times with friends and my library family, good books, movies and music, good walks with my dog, good laughs and good cries.

It’s been good times, for sure, so – no surprise here – this September 1, I’m officially signing up to not only learn some new things, but also to continue to savor more of all the good things I’ve enjoyed lately, especially the good times with Nick and Jill, my friends and my library family.

To paraphrase Neale Donald Walsch’s quote…there is always something to savor, so long as life is being lived.

Happy New Year #3, y’all!