“New Life” comes in all forms. From the empty branches on the January trees outside our windows, new life will present itself in a few months. Tiny buds will blossom into lovely leaves to shade our buildings. the green will give us brighter and fresher days ahead. Already the days have been feeling longer, because the days are brighter for long periods of time. That is always very life giving.
There is the new life that comes when we finish a project that we have been working on for a long time. The feeling of accomplishment makes the long days and hours of labor worthwhile. During the past Holidays, I felt extremely pleased to get the house, the yard, and the office decorated for the coming of Christ.
New life came into our family with the Blessing of another grandchild this past December too! 9 months of waiting for this child was long for me, but surely harder and more difficult on his mother. This small and welcomed child only made the Christmas Celebration in our home seem more joyful. His safe arrival and his mother’s good health were so appreciated.
This baby will make many changes in the next year. Developmentally he will add height and weight. His ability to lift his head (already doing that), reach for things, focus on colors, smile, make more sounds, and recognize people will advance. Each step gradually helping to develop his personality. What joy to see him grow and mature. We too can do that no matter what age we are at or what job we are doing.
Perhaps that is why we are all inclined to start thinking of New Year Resolutions. We want things to be fresh, new, and better. We aim higher and believe we can be stronger and more resilient.
So I have a suggestion to offer here. Divide your year into seasons or quarters. Decide to change or better yourself with one resolution each term. Make small changes that may last longer and/or make you stronger. Be kind to yourself and gentle in spirit. Take some of the pressure off of yourself by doing one thing at a time. It really works and brings new life in small steps.
If you are religious, focus on a new prayer or learn a new scripture. If not, aim to be more community oriented. Develop a family relationship with the intention to harmonize more. Heal with someone who needs to be forgiven. Maybe it is just getting up earlier or following through we a promise to yourself.
Enjoy the New Year!