New Year

A New Year

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”

Edith Lovejoy Pierce (1904–1983)

Image: Unsplash/Markus Spiske

I came across Edith Lovejoy Pierce’s message while asking Google’s help in finding a adage for the New Year. The poet uses the metaphor that the New Year is a book of blank pages.  As an avid reader, this image appealed to me. We frail earthlings on this fragile planet find ourselves on the threshold of a new year faced with a yet unscripted future.

For most folks a new year holds the promise of a fresh start, the possibility of minor makeovers and the chance for inner renovations. Lolly Daskal, the president and CEO of Lead from Within, offers us a simple framework to ponder how we wish to enter as we stand at the doorway of 2023. Daskal suggests that we ask ourselves and reflect upon six simple questions in taking our personal inventory of what’s what:

  •  What should I start?

  •  What should I stop?

  •  Of what should I do more?

  •  Of what should I do less?

  •  What should I continue?

  •  For what should I be grateful?

I think that Daskal’s last question is most important. It speaks to the energy of gratitude that keeps us going. In a similar vein, Canadian author, Louise Margaret Granahan, in her poem, “Blessed and Blessings”, offers us four important reminders about blessings as we begin 2023:

“We hold blessings tenderly, for they are fragile and can slip away.

We cherish blessings thankfully, for they make the dark times easier to bear.

We acknowledge blessings, for so many others have gone unnoticed.

We create blessings lovingly, for we know God works through us to be a blessing to others.”
— Louise Margaret Granahan

As 2023 unfolds, and we script our days, may we often acknowledge that we are both blessed and a blessing.

-Sister Nancy Wales

“God works through us to be a blessing to others.”
— Louise Margaret Granahan

Choosing a Lens for 2023

Many of us at the beginning of a new year make resolutions or set new goals for ourselves. Recently, I had the opportunity to view one of the TED Talks given by Dewitt Jones. Dewitt Jones is an American professional photographer, writer, film director and public speaker, who is known for his work as a freelance photojournalist for National Geographic. The title of his talk, Celebrate What’s Right with the World could easily be adopted as a very worthwhile attitude to adopt for 2023.

“… our vision controls our perception, and our perception becomes our reality” as Dewitt emphasises through his words and photographs during his twenty -minute presentation.

How might our moods and daily lives be altered if we set our personal compass on finding goodness, abundance, possibilities and what is right in the world.

Let’s pick up and use that lens of celebration!

-Sister Nancy Wales, csj

Beginning 2022

While enjoying my morning coffee, half listening to the television, my attention was caught by the tagline in an Audi commercial: Reflect on the past. Celebrate the future.

It is a tradition in my congregation to set aside the last day of the year as a retreat day. I found myself wondering, how might my end of the year thoughts be shaped by reflecting upon the slogan: “Reflect on the past. Celebrate the future.” Looking back upon 2021, what might I discover about myself? What insights or lessons of 2021, might I uncover and so personally or communally claim? Furthermore, looking forward to the year ahead, what might I wish to achieve so that I might celebrate? What personal hopes do I hold? What prayers do I wish to say for my friends, my congregation, and the earth community as we continue to encounter the challenges and uncertainties of this ever- changing pandemic.

As one year ends and another year begins, I offer to you the buzzwords of the Audi commercial as food for your own thoughts as we take leave of 2021 and step into 2022.

Sister Nancy Wales, csj

Image: Isabela Kronemberger/Unsplash