The New Year

Wow, I am flabbergasted at how fast this year has gone. I remember it went by at snail's pace when I was still in high school. After I graduated, that's when I realized that the world spun a whole lot faster than I could've ever imagined.

I decided to do some research on the history of the new year and its celebration. I was not pleased with what I found. It has to do with an ancient pagan holiday, Julius Caesar, later on an anti-Jewish campaign among other things . . . *Sigh.

I was actually hoping on something spiritual, uplifting, inspiring. The only way I think I can get all those elements down is to pray.

Bringing in the new year is very personal. It is the time when many of us set goals for bettering ourselves. A fresh start like a fresh day.

Though Easter is the celebration of life, Christ's resurrection, I don't think it would be wrong to liken Christ's atonement to the new year. The Atonement is a fresh start. It is a chance for us to repent of our sins. To shed the darkness from our spirits. To look to the future with hope and love and happiness.

I feel we should think of the same thoughts that cross our minds during Sacrament Meeting (a time to review our faults the past week and how we could improve upon them). These are mine every Sunday, depending on my struggles as I think to renew my baptismal covenants: I will practice better patience with my children, I will do my best to NOT suppress a generous thought, I will work harder on reading my scriptures on non-school days . . .

The most desired thing is to be charitable. Anything you can think of that reaches out to others is charitable. Saying hi to someone in church, especially someone you don't talk to on a normal basis. Sitting by someone you never had before in Relief Society or Priesthood (for our fellow brothers who read MMW), putting yourself on the substitute list for the Primary, volunteering in cleaning out your ward house, volunteering in school for your kids--if you are a grandparent, I don't think the school will turn you away. Bringing in someone's garbage can after pick up day. Smiling at someone. Making your child's bed as a surprise.

To throw in a few writing aspects maybe dedication to helping others with their manuscripts, query letters and/or synopsis with total honesty? Being a mentor? Reaching out to aspiring writers and help them understand that there is always hope in becoming published?

Going out of our comfort zones is one of the hardest things I know any one of us can do, but that is what being charitable is all about--if we are complacent in our lives, we need to reevaluate it.

This one of my favorite quotes by Souza:

DANCE--as if no one is watching you,
LOVE--as though you have never been hurt before,
SING--as though no one can hear you,
LIVE--as though heaven is on earth.


What are your goals for the year 2010? I would love to hear them!