A New Year's Benediction

While it is rare that I make resolutions, this year -- 2015 -- comes after some startling changes in my personal life as well as where I hang my hat. Oh yes, newsboy caps, fedoras, trilbies and a top hat... they've all moved along with 2 kiddos, 2 cats and a beta fish. Now that the heat has shriveled me up and my lungs... and we've been here long enough to change our licenses -- why shouldn't I start off the New Year with a mind and heart set to the future and the challenges, the opportunities that might come with it. I've done enough changing and adapting to last a lifetime so here I go again. Right?!

Must be something in the air, because Neil Gaiman who has some of the loveliest benedictions for New Years had mentioned he wouldn't be writing a new one for 2015 but guess he couldn't help himself this year either, because he came up with this lovely benediction that I am repeating here as a personal prayer for my family, myself and all of you.

Be kind to yourself in the year ahead.
Remember to forgive yourself, and to forgive others. It's too easy to be outraged these days, so much harder to change things, to reach out, to understand.
Try to make your time matter: minutes and hours and days and weeks can blow away like dead leaves, with nothing to show but time you spent not quite ever doing things, or time you spent waiting to begin.
Meet new people and talk to them. Make new things and show them to people who might enjoy them.
Hug too much. Smile too much. And, when you can, love.

Definitely must make some actual resolutions if I have not already, even though I do not think I want to write them down yet. They will come though. Follow me here because times are changing and life is not meant to be wasted! I will be sharing my new year memories with you all!