Encouragement for the NEW YEAR

What do you feel in the coming NY—optimism, dread, happy, depressed, hopeful?

One of the most encouraging things about new years, new weeks, and new days is the word new-it’s meaning-refreshed, different from one of the same that has existed previously, and best of all, a place to start over, begin anew. The new year is a fresh start, a new chapter in life waiting to be written-whatever has happened before can be over and done with. We can make changes to be better moms, wives, friends, etc.

But before we usher in the new, we need to put the old year’s unfinished business—mistakes, regrets, shortcomings, and disappointments behind us. Although it is sometimes good to learn from our mistakes, so that we can help others-who better to explain mistakes to our children-we can refuse to let past errors consume us.

If you have time and want to make a symbolic statement that the old year is past and the new is here now, write down on small slips of paper whatever you’d like to forget, then place the paper in a small cardboard box or bag. Next with ceremony, wrap the box in black paper sealing in the sorrow, sadness and hard times. Say, "good riddance” and toss the box into the fireplace to burn away the past or toss in the trash.

Do not let the past consume you, only learn from it.