Choosing to Embrace Another Year

by Belinda Munoz on January 3, 2012

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The new year is upon us and, as is the case each year, regardless of how excited I am about it, there’s always someone out there to remind us that it’s just like any ordinary date in the human-made Gregorian calendar and any hoopla that surrounds it is merely manufactured and not filled with powers, mysticism and magic from divine sources.

Fine.

Still, I’m excited about it. After all, January is my birth month and having moved from mostly feelings of dread to more-excitement-than-dread in anticipation of a date that none other more overtly marks this scientifically unstoppable, youth-withering phenomenon we call aging is, I would consider, progress. And, as of five years ago, my beloved child decided to share his birth month with me, so I have much to love about January.

But this isn’t simply about my son’s or my birthday. This is about recognizing what a gift it truly is to be blessed with another year, another day, another minute. This is about renewing hope despite having been let down. This is about re-committing to our will to live despite having known loss and death. This is about looking forward to those undeniable moments of joy, of celebration, despite having been knocked around by pain, mourning or suffering.

This is about being open to good and great things not readily visible on the horizon, some of which may even be beyond our imagination.

In the words of Oliver with my proverbial bowl in hand, I say, “please sir, I want some more.”

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Are you excited about the new year?

What would you like to see more of this year?

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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }

1 ayala January 3, 2012 at 5:12 am

Happy New Year to you and your loved ones. And happy birthday to you and your son. Wishing you happiness always. My older son was also born in January. :)
I agree with you….This is about recognizing what a gift it truly is to be blessed with another year, another day, another minute. This is about renewing hope despite having been let down. This is about re-committing to our will to live despite having been let down……Wishing you the best today and always.

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2 Anisi from Santa Fe January 3, 2012 at 8:21 am

Greetings from New Mexico! Happy New Year to you and yours, and yes I’m very excited about the new year….ready to embrace!

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3 Rudri Bhatt Patel @ Being Rudri January 3, 2012 at 8:54 am

Happy New Year Belinda! I understand so much of what you say about January. My daughter celebrates her birthday this weekend. It is a great way to really start and relish the New Year. And yes, every minute, everyday, matters. Happy Birthday to both of you!

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4 Sara January 3, 2012 at 9:17 am

Happy New Year and Happy Birthday to both you and your son. I hope you a wonderful 2012 and YES it so important to appreciate the gift of each moment we live:~)

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5 BigLittleWolf January 3, 2012 at 7:14 pm

Lovely post – and happy birth month to you both! And yes, aging is a privilege and we ought not to fear it or resent it.

What I’d like to see over the next year?

A more compassionate country.

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6 Cathy January 3, 2012 at 8:56 pm

“This is about being open to good and great things not readily visible on the horizon, some of which may even be beyond our imagination.”

I really hope so.

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7 Patty/Why Not Start Now? January 4, 2012 at 1:10 am

Happy New Year and Happy Birthday, Belinda! I am excited about the new year, in a subdued way. I love the way you frame the paradox of it: renewing hope in spite of being let down. So important right now.

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8 Talon January 5, 2012 at 8:59 am

There is something exciting and magical when a new year unfolds, pristine and, as yet, untarnished.

Wishing you and your son Happy Birthday and may 2012 be a beautiful year for you all.

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9 Marci | Liberating Choices January 6, 2012 at 5:10 pm

While I don’t party it up like I used to for the New Year, I do internally hope and dream and celebrate the renewal.

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10 Madeleine Begun Kane January 11, 2012 at 11:18 pm

Well said! I’m more worried than excited about the new year — mostly because of the upcoming U.S. election. :)

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