Turning
the Page
“Beginnings
can be delicate or explosive. They can start almost invisibly or
arrive with a big bang. Beginnings hold the promise of new lessons to
be learned, new territory to be explored, and old lessons to be
recalled, practiced, and appreciated. Beginnings hold ambiguity,
promise, fear, and hope.”
Melody
Beattie (Journey to the Heart)
Every
January 1st, I lie in bed in the early morning dark and think about
what I hope the new year will bring that's different from the old
year. I always hope for peace, but in my heart, I know there won't be
peace. I hope for an end to violence, knowing that it is still human
nature to be violent. Most of what I hope for will not happen in my
lifetime, but I pray for it anyway. It's kind of like going into a
church and lighting a candle for someone, or something, that you know
is a lost cause. You do it because it makes you feel better, and
because you hope against all odds that a miracle will happen. So, I
will light a candle for 2016, and pray for the best.
On
a more optimistic note, January 1st, is like clean sheets
on the bed, mulch in the garden, fresh paint on the walls—it's a
new beginning, packed with potential. It's a clean canvas on which to
paint whatever you want. It's an opportunity to change the
percentages on how you spend your time, to reset your priorities, and
challenge yourself to accomplish something you've only been thinking
about. It holds a nearly breathless anticipation of what might be
just around the corner.
In
order to begin something new, something old may have to end. One must
turn aside, take a different street, an unexplored route, if one
wants to discover new territory. I don't know about you, but there are only
so many hours in a day, and I have the option of doing what I've
always done, or trying something different, but probably not both. I
have to choose.
And
so, we move into this new year with an eye to what might change,
what may stay the same, and what may happen that is totally
unforeseen. It's all there—waiting for us to turn the page.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
No comments:
Post a Comment