A new year means a new beginning, a chance to reevaluate where you’re going and where you’ve been, and to change what you don’t like. It signifies a fresh start, sparks a glimmer of hope, and allows us to leave behind those things which we feel are weighing us down. Overall, the first day of a new year is a perfect jumping off point for new adventures.
I’ve always played this psychological game that I would not set any resolutions because it would just create unnecessary guilt when I failed to follow through (I have an odd logic when it comes to goals), and yet, subconsciously I make plans all the same. Whether you write them down, or whisper it in your mind, goals are made for motivation and to provide a sense of direction.
2019 saw my daughter graduating high school and embarking into the adult world. I have watched my children age, growing in independence and confidence as they discover who they are and what they stand for. 2019 was the year that I accomplished a life long goal, graduating college, something that I still can’t believe really happened despite seeing my degree upon waking each morning. There were other milestones throughout the year, subtle ones made up of singular moments that helped shape the overall feel of 2019 into a year of happiness so that I can look back and announce with confidence that “2019 was a good year.”
But what of this new year, this strange year of “perfect vision,” what will it hold? Well, the answer is simple, it will hold anything we want it to based upon how we view it. Just as 2020 suggestions, we should look at this year with clarity, seeing all the flaws and goodness with graceful acceptance. The letters on an eye chart are in a mixed up jumble, so is our life, and yet we accept that mess on the chart as something of value. Our jumbled up life is something of substantial value too and should not be disregarded simply because things are not in perfect order. When we learn to accept our own messy life we can learn to be more tolerant and forgiving of the disorder around us because the truth of the matter is, life is a chaotic mess of beautiful disorder.
Think of a puzzle. It is made up of hundreds of single pieces that make no sense on their own, but slowly, with time and perseverance, the pieces begin to connect to their surroundings and a clearer image is revealed. Though the center piece is far removed from the edge piece, never directly touching, and they are both necessary to finish the picture. The world is much the same way. Every life on this planet is a unique piece, some may directly connect, others not so much, but it is only by working together that the picture can be completed. Maybe as we go into 2020 we can learn to see and recognize that ALL life – no matter what nationality, color, gender, race, or religion – has value and is important to the overall construction of this planet, just as that diversity is needed for the puzzle.
Let us go into 2020 with both eyes open so that we can see more clearly the value of our life and of others as well. Let’s make this a gentler, kinder year, one where we critique ourselves and others less and bolster one another up instead. The eye chart is not made up of a single letter but a series of letters and lines that determine the overall vision of the person, likewise, a puzzle with all the same shape, size, and colored pieces would be impossible to assemble; diversity is necessary. If we quit focusing on the differences as a negative and recognize the fact that these differences are what create a unique individual and a colorful universe how awesome would that be?!
Every aspect of our lives – the mistakes, heartaches, celebrations and milestones – make us who we are. As we step into the new year in the hopes of achieving goals and making our mark on this world, may we remember what Maya Angelou said,
“We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.”
Coffee Dribble 