We usually have a bonfire on New Year’s Day to burn the
things we want to leave in the past. This is mostly symbolic with everyone
writing things on paper and tossing them into the fire, but sometimes there are
actual items to burn. I used to burn rejection letters from agents and
magazines, but these days those lovely missives arrive via e-mail, so it would
seem a backward step for the environment if I printed them out and then burned
them. It’s much easier to toss them in the virtual trash.
Pinpointing what I’d like to leave behind forces me to
evaluate the previous year. This year New Year's Day was cold and we were tired and still digging out from our party the night before. There was a game on and the kids were embracing their last day of unlimited screens. No one mustered up
any enthusiasm for the annual tradition. Hopefully we’ll get to it sometime
this month as there are several boxes of old bills and insurance papers we
unearthed during our basement clean up that await the flame.
But I digress, as usual. This month I’m planning a Top Ten
List theme. I like to take time at New Year’s to think about what went well and
what didn’t during the past year. Creating these Top Ten lists will help me
sort through the past year and make resolutions for the new one. My four themes
are:
Top Ten Things I learned this past year.
Top Ten Things I’d like to learn in the new year.
Top Ten Things I’ll avoid in the coming year.
Top Ten Things I’ll indulge more in this year.
I’d welcome your lists if you’re inspired to create your
own. I’d also welcome ideas for other Top Ten Lists.
So without further ado…..
