Happy 2009

"And now let us welcome the new year, full of things that have never been."
~Rainer Maria Rilke

The holidays are over, 2008 is but a memory...and I, for one, am glad. Not that I don't enjoy the Christmas festivities - this Christmas was lovely, in fact - but I always looks forward to the fresh start that a new calendar year brings.

I managed to get through the holidays with a minimum amount of stress, amazingly. I didn't go overboard on gifts, got everything done early (including the wrapping - a first), and managed to enjoy several quiet nights at home with my husband and animals, in front of the fire, reading and watching movies. It was a quiet, peaceful season, all in all.

A post-Christmas trip to Colorado let us frolic in the snow with our dog, who, being a native Coloradan, loves the fluffy white stuff (pictures to come). He had more energy in the 10 degree weather than I've seen in a long time. Certainly more than me - I preferred the warmth of the fire!

New Year's Eve was quiet and we had to force ourselves to stay awake until midnight. (Perhaps that had something to do with the amount of champagne that was consumed early on in the night. Perhaps.) Regardless, it was celebratory and just what I needed.

So, here we are, 5 days into 2009, and I can tell it's going to be a good year (despite the rain and cold outside my window). This year, I resolve to find more peace in my life. I want to consume less - be grateful for the things I already have in my life, and be mindful of those who have far less, and not enough. I plan to clean out that spare bedroom full of junk, and organize the garage. I will feed the birds. I will simplify. I will be healthier, in mind, body and spirit.

Happy New Year, everyone. May good things come to you in 2009.