Goodbye and Hello

By Paul Hogan

Goodbye 2022 with all its hopes, dreams, and desires!  I believe that it is a good thing that not all of my grandiose dreams of fame and fortune over the years came true.  With hindsight I am grateful I was given exactly what was needed at the time. Sometimes with a serving of humble pie.

Hello 2023!  I start every year wanting it all and thinking that I deserve it.  I assure myself that it would be good for me, and that I would handle everything with patience, kindness and gentleness and I know it will be a wonderful year.  But I’ve been on this planet long enough to know that I need to move on to reality.

The big question for 2023 is what will the new year bring?  Should we make New Year’s resolutions?  Should we put our dreams and aspirations and desires out there for the universe to provide an answer?  Maybe we should, not because it just sets us up for failure, like many of the past years when in December we were not at the top of the mountain that we planned on climbing in January.  Spoiler alert! I have the answer!

Here is my answer: Regardless of if we put ourselves “out there” or not, this is a truth; If we are lucky, 2023 is going to bring each of us a brand-new day 365 times. Each of us gets to decide how we act or react to what that new day brings.

Here’s a Sanskrit proverb, which is one of my favorite readings found in the beginning of the book 24 Hours A Day:

Look to this day,

For it is life,

The very life of life.

In its brief course lie all

The realities and verities of existence,

The bliss of growth,

The splendor of action,

The glory of power –

For yesterday is but a dream,

And tomorrow is only a vision,

But today, well lived,

Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness,

And every tomorrow a vision of hope.

Look well, therefore, to this day.

Happy 2023 New Year to you!