Personally, I love the new year with all its clean calendar pages and an empty day planner. It fills me with anticipation to find out what I'll be filling all those fresh pages with THIS time around. What adventures await me, what delights are in store; will there be travel involved? Who will I meet and what will I learn in the next twelve months that will further enrich my life? Ahhh, the possibilities are endless!! And isn't that grand?
At the end of every calendar year, I like to go through my old day planner to remind myself of everything I lived, the good and the not especially. I always come across something delightful I'd forgotten about that makes me smile. It's good to be reminded every now and then of the rapid passing of time, lest we begin to take it for granted and become wasteful. I want to cherish every single moment I have to enjoy this beautiful Mother Earth.
That reminds me of a very short story I wrote once that you might enjoy upon this New Year's Day!
JUST A LITTLE LONGER
As a young girl, I enjoyed many a glorious day at the beach, happily playing in the surf. But as the sun would begin its afternoon descent, I would diligently turn my attention to signs of that inevitable moment when my mother would come to collect my brother and me for the long trip home. When I saw her approaching, I would coach my little brother, saying, “Now! Here she comes! Don’t look back!” Then we would venture out just a wee bit farther for good measure, beyond the huge breakers. We would begin laughing and squealing with delight over each new wave, to drown out her feeble calls to us, aided most obligingly by the crashing of the surf. I knew this would always buy us just a little longer, as mother was positively terrified of the ocean and never ventured out beyond her knees. After a while she would just give up and head back to her blanket on shore to catch a few more rays. This gave us a good half-hour longer, when we would repeat the entire scenario once again, with, of course, the desired bonus of.….just a little longer, in my beloved ocean.
But then, all too soon, she would send out the big guns, my father, who had no fear of the water at all. He’d just march right up to us and say that it was indeed time to leave. I’d look up at him in feigned horror and disbelief, and reply with a delivery that would have merited me an academy award, “Oh no, please! It can’t be that time already! We had no idea it was getting so late! No warning whatsoever! Please could we have…..just a little longer?” It worked like a charm every single time!
Oh, please, just a little longer? That seems to be my life theme. I never get my fill of the great outdoors. Be it ocean, the woods, beside a roaring campfire, kayaking, it really doesn’t matter where I am or what I’m doing, I’d just love to go on doing it for…..just a little longer. There is so much beauty and wonder to behold, that I never want to come back inside, and usually find myself begging whoever I am with for…..just a little longer.
And I am certain that when the powers that be tell me my time upon this beautiful Mother Earth is through, I will once again beg for…..just a little while longer!
Please, just one more sunrise…..one more sunset! Once more to feel the sun gently kissing my face, or enjoy the wind running its fingers through my hair and caressing my body like a familiar lover. Just a little longer to stand naked in a summer shower, or to lie on the ground beneath a thick blanket of stars!
Just a little longer to hear the marvelous melodies of the crickets and watch the dazzling light shows of the fireflies. Just once more to hear the dawn come alive with a burst of spring bird song…..just a little longer, please?.....just a little longer…..
Make the most of this gift of a New Year !!!! And no regrets allowed either!!!!
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