A New Year

It's New Year's Eve - plan the party, pull out the noise makers, the confetti and the champagne! I love the possibilities that exist for a brand new year.

Ok, so it's not January but for me, the new year has always started in September. The first day of school (ok, so I'm old enough to remember starting school AFTER Labor Day), the first cool front to blow in and clear out the heat and humidity, new clothes, school supplies. Is there anything better than school supplies, getting prepared to learn something new? (ok, so there might be a couple of things that might be better but that's another blog!). I'm remembering Tom Hanks in "You've Got Mail" ... "...a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils..."

On any given day, I will read from Sarah Ban Breathnach's "Simple Abundance" guidebook. On September 1 she speaks of turning over a new leaf. How easy when the leaves are beginning to FALL! She also shares that September, since ancient times, "...has been viewed as the beginning of the new year, a time of reflection and resolution." So, we are not just looking to the future today, but also embracing antiquity.

I get positively giddy at the thought of the first cold spell to touch our Gulf Coast. For one, it implies that Hurricane Season is nearing it's end, and that hopefully, we can breathe another sigh of relief. Coolness, a crispness that has been missing for some time as we experience the rain, the heat and the humidity also known as the Texas Gulf Coast. How do you "celebrate" the change in season? Do you throw open the doors and windows? It's not just for spring anymore! Air out your home and rejuvenate the feel of the place. Light candles that are scented of the fall - cinnamon and spices and baked goods! Change our surroundings in subtle ways. Watch as the days become shorter and shorter until the Winter Solstice in December. Brian's birthday is that day and being the shortest day of the year, really needs to pack as much into that day as possible to celebrate! It is a year of celebration. Celebrate with me and consider September 1st as New Year's Day. Consider the possibilities that await. I am!