Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. – Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist & mathematician (1879-1955)
It wasn’t until late Friday after New Year’s Day that life seemed to slow down at the Bardwells from Christmas parties, plays, pageants, cooking and planning, entertaining family members, receiving Christmas cards and sending out digital cards, a little gift shopping and decorating, not to forget Christmas movies. The tree is still up and decorated. It’s been a good tree, a Douglas Fir that doesn’t shed needles. Our family members boarded their planes and flew back to their respective homes. Shortly after their departure winter weather set in across the country.
The following day I awakened to a winter wonderland across the fields covered with frosty white ice. Birds of all kinds were covering the birdfeeders and foraging the ground. The goldfish in the lilypond appeared suspended as they floated with no effort at all. They ate very little. Winter makes me sleepy as if I need my own season of hibernation.
I had not even thought of a New Year’s resolution. Mostly trying to pin myself into something to do or something not to do makes me anxious and feel bad about myself. Things like “Don’t eat sugar for three months.” or “Don’t go clothes shopping for a whole year.” I’ve tried those and felt irritable the whole time. I’m sure others didn’t enjoy my irritable time with those resolutions either.
I listened to a young woman from England talk about giving up all her usual New Year’s resolutions. No longer would she give something up or add something to her life. Instead, she decided to choose a word. The word she chose was “acceptance.” She thought that choosing a word may increase well-being to both herself and others. Perhaps anything that could bring well-being to a life would be a lovely New Year’s resolution.
One year I did not choose a word but a sentence. Rather than limiting myself by not buying anything new I chose “Be creative with what you have.” Being creative would turn out to be a whole lot more fun. I could also decide “If you really want to do something, shop at the Thrift Stores where the money you spend goes to help others in need.”
If I were to choose one word, I hope it would be “calm.” I tend to stress over deadlines, to-do lists, tight schedules, grocery shopping, etc. The strange thing about getting stressed is I choose to stress myself. Like making to-do lists. I’m the one who is stressing myself. If we run out of bananas there will be another day where I can make a list and go easily without haste to the grocery store. You know what they say, “Haste makes waste” so go slowly, be calm, live longer.
Shannon Bardwell is a writer living quietly in the Prairie. Email reaches her at [email protected].
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 44 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
