I don’t like New Year’s Resolutions. I don’t like the unreality of it– people getting an idea of who they want to be and thinking that they can become that person by making a list and tackling it all at once. That is not how it works and because of this misunderstanding many people fail at keeping their New Year’s Resolutions. Changing your life, becoming a person whose ideas reflect reality takes a lot of work and patience. It is definitely something that needs to be taken more seriously than making a list of five things you are going to start doing, that represent five things you want to change about your life, and thinking that if you just stick to that list you will accomplish the desired outcome. It is more complicated, difficult, and full than that. It is also something of which the outcome is more beautiful and wonderful because of the complexity and seriousness of it.

The New Year is something to be celebrated. It gives us the opportunity to look at where we have come and then to where we want to go. Sometimes this comes in the midst of years of sadness and struggle and other times it arrives amongst much joy. Whatever it is for you, the New Year symbolizes the hope of more time for all of us.

For those who are working towards being molded and refined, I want to take a moment to acknowledge your bravery and encourage you in your walk.

Happy New Year to all of you! May Peace, Joy, and Love accompany you on all of your different journeys.

We have been doing a sibling/spouse Secret Santa gift exchange on my side of the family for a couple of years. It has worked really well and has provided the opportunity within my fairly large family to focus on one person. This year we have decided to make another change in our gift giving.

Every year my parents are left buying gifts for all 8 of us plus each other. Even though they do a great job of being thoughtful in their gift giving, in our very consumer driven culture this gets really really expensive. So, this year we are doing an experiment. My parents are making each of us a present and can spend no more than $10/person on supplies. In return each of us will make our parents a present and can spend no more on $10/person.

There are so many reasons why I am excited about this. I love that it simplifies our gifts. I love that it takes away a bit of the consumer oriented aspect of these holidays. However, most of what I love about it is that we will get to know each other better. We will be giving to our parents and receiving gifts from them that in some way represent our skills and a part of our lives that we want to share.

As we near Christmas I hope that you are all able to remain rooted in the midst of much unnecessary chaos.