Happy New Year

OK, it’s a rather clichéd title, but it still holds true. It’s a new year, a time for new beginnings, and a time (to paraphrase a Bible verse) when we “forget what is behind and push forward to what is ahead.” This can really happen at any point in our year, and in fact every day, should we so choose.

I find that word “forget” interesting. This almost seems a contradiction, because so many of our traditions and decisions are made up from what we remember – whether good or bad - and we base what we do on what we know. I strongly suspect there’s a bit more to it than the obvious meaning.

Some of us all too readily forget what is behind. I can guarantee that if I have ten things to do, eight or nine of them will happen, and the other one or two wander off into oblivion. I'm convinced there's a little corner of the universe where all the tasks I've forgotten are sitting around, having beer and a chuckle. I can have a conversation with my husband, and have no recollection of it the next hour, let alone the next day (it seems to be a family trait). So remembering can be good. Even remembering a bad thing can be good – otherwise the world would be full of people who never learned that a stove that is on is hot!

I think what we really need to “forget” is a few of our typical responses to things that have happened in our lives – even if they’ve gotten the result we want – and instead push forward to better responses and interactions. So here’s to a New and Happy approach to 2009!