I resolved that THAT year will be the year I keep my New Year’s Resolution.
To be fair, I had set the bar low.
I had resolved to START smoking and swear more.
I lasted two weeks with the smoking (a bold goal for an asthmatic anyway) but the swearing is going fucking great.
The year was 1994 and I was not very content. Thankfully things turned around and the subsequent year’s resolutions were less carcinogenic.
Despite the silliness of my 1994 goals, I do like to keep my New Year’s Resolutions simple and well within reach. I strongly advise you do the same.
Don’t resolve to fully change your life.
Resolve to change your hairstyle.
That sort of thing.
This Holiday season has been bittersweet for our family. It’s been wonderful seeing everyone and having our boys back home but my Aunt died a few days before Christmas.
She had lived a good life and was suffering a bit prior to passing away but it was still unexpected for all.
This week there was an internment ceremony to have her urn (box) placed in my Aunt and Uncle’s plot at the cemetery. The whole family had gathered. Kids, nephews, nieces, grandkids, great grandkids. It was lovely.
My uncle, stoic but not immune to sadness, was happy to have everyone there. My cousin gave a speech that reached into your chest, pulled out your heart, hugged it tight, slapped it and then jammed it into your stomach.
No one escaped the sadness.
However, no one escaped the impact of having family and friends rally round either.
The impact of so many people gathering just to be ready to give and receive support was overwhelming.
It was undeniable.
It was life affirming.
On this goddamn speck of dust, we were there to defiantly support each other as if to give the Universe and all its garbage curveballs the finger.
Family is tricky.
Even if we get along with each other, there’s usually only so much we can take… and that’s okay.
As luck would have it, ‘so much’ is exactly the correct amount of time required to get maximum benefit.
Should you be stuck for a New Year’s Resolution this year, try this one…
resolve to rally round friends and family, for their sake and yours.
Every now and then… meaning, don’t wait for one of you to die.
Take care of yourselves and others.
Happy New Year
I am sorry for your loss. Every time there is a gathering of our (diminishing) clan, we resolve to get together without one of us in a box. It seldom happens. This summer was my sisters 90 th birthday and we did get together without a body in a box. It was lovely . Try to get your gang together on a happy occasion . Have a wonderful year. I so enjoy your wisdom.
Well stated. I'm so sorry for your loss. Much love from our family to yours