New Year’s Eve.
I find myself in an effervescent state of Gratitude.
I see so many posts commenting on what a terrible year it has been — cartoons of taking this past year out like a bag of rubbish…
Much the same as what I saw at the end of last year
and the year before that
and the year before that
and the year before that.
I have never felt that one day on Earth was wasted time, let alone a full year.
Of course, we experience ups and downs and a range of feelings in any given year or day or moment… But not one moment of Life is a waste!
Quite the contrary,
I Believe with all of my heart in the Beauty and Possibility of every moment.
Every moment feels like a gift!
It’s all gift!
Now, close to midnight, another year comes to an end,
one more 365-day rotation around the Sun completed
on this tiny precious planet of ours,
in this infinitesimal little Galaxy,
in this infinite abundant Universe!
There is a feeling of closure,
of having completed some segment of time in a Life that we all know, or will know, to be way too short!
There is so much to see.
So much to do.
So much to be experienced.
No Guarantees,
And yet, here we still are!
…Grateful!
I am overwhelmed by the magnificence of this past year!
Another year doing work that I Love,
Living on this Most Full of Wonders Planet,
Sharing this Life with people I Love!
Another year enjoying my Full of Wonder Partner!
My Full of Wonder MOM!
My Full of Wonder Friends!
Kids growing!
Young people, coming of age!
Elderly people sharing their wisdom, and their life experience, with the Luckiest Boy in the World – – me!
I have watched a country into which I have been so blessed to be born stand up with resilience,
Defend itself!
Take a stand against tyranny!
Move forward in its Survival, and remind our government that they govern only by the consent of the governed!
And some of you MuthaFuckas better watch out in 2018!
For you are about to find out that you do not have our consent!
One Person — One Vote!
And there are Lots of US!
I have watched Women, perhaps more than at any time in history, come forward, take a stand, and say, “No!” to the abhorrent abuse of power by the current occupant of the White House, then ride that wave into a new time to create a new History!
I have watched People of Color, Gay People, Trans People, People of all Races and Religions — come Forward! Be Counted! And resist those who would put us down and prefer that we remain quiet!
This past year, we all have learned to live a little bit Louder!
To live in a Bigger Way!
To live with one another peacefully,
To create the world in which we wish to live — with room for every one of us!
I have watched togetherness take on new meaning —
The development of strength in our people!
I have seen so many kindnesses —
Some of the smallest ones, the most profound!
I have witnessed acts of Love That Astonish and Blaze!
I have known the blinding light of Magnificence that this Universe shines!
I have beheld dreams come true!
I have observed people grow!
I have grown!
I have grasped the beauty of life!
…Of this world!
I have made mistakes!
I have fallen down!
I have gotten up!
I have fallen down and gotten up again over and over and over and over… And each time I have learned!
I have grown!
I have become a better person from triumph over my own folly!
This has been a very very very good year, filled with mistakes, tripping over myself, feeling a fool, scraping poverty, saying the wrong thing at times, feeling just stupid, and being Gloriously Human!
It has also been a year in which I have excelled!
I have Triumphed!
I have endeavored to leave this world just a little bit better than I found it!
I have stood up for my beliefs!
I have shouted from the mountain tops!
I have worshipped the sunshine!
I have stood before God’s magnificent Ocean and Given Thanks!
I have Celebrated the resilience of the human spirit!
I have Laughed!
I have Cried!
I have trusted my Divine Soul to offer all the Light that I can — though at moments the most I can muster is a slight Ember.
At other moments I have been able to radiate a Supernova of Light!
Ember or FireBall, the point is to offer everything we’ve got at any given moment…
Give All!
And so, while it may be tempting to look upon this past year as a pile of failures, as a year in which I did not make a billion dollars, as a year in which I did not achieve Career Success far above the scale of my profession,
the Truth is so much Greater, so much Loftier than that!
This past year is a pile of Triumphs!
I have Lived!
I have Loved!
I have relished the World!
I breathed the cool air in Glacier Bay, Alaska!
I basked in the warm sunshine of Provincetown, Massachusetts!
I held my mother’s hand while she translated every word of Italian songs from her youth and laughed and smiled!
I held my partner’s hand, quietly appreciating what it is to be together, resting our heads on one another’s shoulders, staring together at the starlit sky!
I have known Love!
I have taught classes, and learned from every student!
I have worked hard, and enjoyed abundant creative satisfaction!
I tried a new New Cookie Recipe!
I made some Fabulous Breakfasts!
Some equally fabulous dinners!
There has been food to eat and a roof over my head!
I deepened my Coaching Training with additional courses!
I celebrated My First Diwali in India!
I Listened to Music!
I went to the Theater,
And Dance Concerts,
And Symphonies,
And Museums!
I have experienced so much of the Splendor that this World has to offer!
I am humbled to be a member of Humankind!
To know the Legacy of People and Minds and Achievements and Miracles that have all taken place on this planet,
in this World,
in ways that we have all been able to benefit from them!
This past year is to be Celebrated!
This New Year is to be Celebrated!
This Moment is to be Celebrated!
I am honored to be here!
And I Fall to my knees in Gratitude for the Great Gift of this Beautiful Amazing Extraordinary Life, Every Day!
I leave this past year with a feeling of Longing for so many Miracles occurring in such a brief 365 and 1/4 days!
And I embrace this New Year with both arms, both hands, every bone of every finger in the snuggest Hug, holding tight to the Future and its promise and all the Miracles that this New Year shall bring!
I celebrate it!
I honor it!
Oh, to be alive,
Now
In this Time
In this World
In this New Year!
I am Grateful!
I offer the Fullness of my slight burning Ember of Light and it teaches me that combined with all the Other People on this Planet, we are a Red Hot Conflagration of JOY!
We all need simply Offer it!
And I stand Ready,
In return for the Extraordinary Gift of this New Year,
I Offer Hope
And Full Commitment
To be Fully Present in all that lies ahead!
To Bring my Full Self to Life and Acceptance as Life unfolds before us!
…With Gratitude for the Gift that it is,
This Blazingly Bright Steady Stream of Magic and Beauty!
I shall Rejoice in this New Year!
Community!
Our Blissful Reliance upon One Another!
I greet this New Year with Thanks — not for the Full Year which is Uncertain at Best —
But for the Present Moment which is all that any of us has,
And enough for which to be Grateful!
I invite you to come along with me to Create the Year we imagine and to welcome everyone with a place at the table,
that we may share as members of this truly Marvelous species of Humanity the Joy of Being,
The Thrill of Living,
The Basking in Miracles!
The Glory of this Life!
The Journey Ahead!
And All that this New Year shall make of us!
It is startling to experience so many Miracles in so short a time!
May we look back in Gratitude!
May we Live in Gratitude Now!
May we Give Thanks for all that we have,
for all that we are,
and for all that will be!
Happy New Year!
The Miracle of this New Year has begun!
Let us Live the Miracles!
Let us Live the Questions Now!
Let us Begin by Counting our Blessings!
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