Holidays

starsinsky

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” ~Les Brown

It’s New Year’s Day – the day that folks sit down and make resolutions to do or not do the things that will help them be better/do better in the New Year – or at least that’s what the deal is always set out to be. And then ensues the guilt, disappointment and shame of either we or others failing to live up to our New Year’s Resolutions. A real Catch-22.

But what are New Year’s Resolutions, anyway? Sitting down today to do some writing on my children’s books and hopefully, some dummying of one of my stories, I looked at my own thoughts as I approach the New Year. I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. It’s already pretty clear where I want to go and what I need to get there; however, making that list can be a real double-edged sword. I’ve chosen not to make it. Here’s why.

New Year’s Resolutions are nothing more than the wranglers of our dreams. They are akin to rounding up those wild and wide-ranging dreams from starry skies and corralling them into a pen where we can number and categorize them. And tame them. The beauty of our dreams lies in their freedom. The beauty IS in who we are and who we can be.

Why not join our starry dreams in the sky and envision ourselves already there? Why not envision ourselves published with children excitedly reading our books rather than making dull lists about what we have to do to get there? The details will take care of themselves. It’s the vision that counts. Open the paddock gate and let the dreams fly free, far, far away from encumbering lists.

Know that the vision and dreams live within your own heart; that’s where each New Year lies.

christmasplate How does one know the Christmas season has begun? Ignoring the fact that the onslaught of marketing for the holidays has now begun shortly after Halloween to make commercialism at an all time high of 7-8 weeks, what happens in your home that says Christmas will soon be coming?

For me, it’s the bringing forth of two different Christmas dishes – my humble, dollar store plates and my bright red, green and white decorated, coffee mugs. I’ll admit that perhaps why they are the first manifestation of Christmas is that they are conveniently at hand, as are all my dishes, right there in a kitchen cabinet. But there’s something about putting away my winter mugs and replacing them them with the festive red ones, and putting away my stoneware plates in a lower cabinet, their upper spot now taken with these simple china plates, that gets hopes and dreams to stirring.

No doubt the dollar store plates were made in China, too, (the mugs were made in Germany), so as befits this time of celebration, each year I bless those who made and painted them and thank them for this small joy that marks the beginning of the season for me.

Christmas changes as we grow older … once it was the excitement of opening presents under the tree in the morning; later, coming home from college and seeing family and old friends; then through relationships, perhaps children, and so it goes. Each year becoming a little bit different, offering some slightly different gift. Christmas steadily brings the exchange of warm wishes of family and friends, some who we barely have time to keep up with during the year. Cards are still sent and received, and though sometimes in too much of a rush, we get them out and delight at the treasure in our mailboxes.

Among our gifts may be something thoughtful from someone unexpected, new friends, the comfort and love of old ones, new music that fits us just right, the book that we need to read exactly at this moment in time, a candle scent carrying us back over time … riches, all. The care, preparation, hopes and dreams of each of our Christmas or holiday seasons always begins with one simple thing … something as simple as a dollar Christmas plate.