Another year ends

When I was young the approach of another year did not evoke any thoughts of regret, hopes or resolutions.   Being wide eyed and full of excitement, the only feelings we anticipated were those of excitement as our parents talked about bringing in the New Year, and being allowed to stay up till midnight.   My father always opened a bottle of "Baby Champagne" and we all got a drop in our own little glasses to toast the New Year, wave our noise makers and whistles,  and listen to our parents reminisce of all the New Years gone by.  It was so much fun and over all too soon as good nights were said and we were finally tucked into bed with a sense of giddiness and joy.

Tomorrow we will bring in 2016, another year in our calendar.  I now think that we adults are way too serious about the New Year.  It should still evoke the same feelings of excitement that we have all journeyed through another year in time.  Those of us who have lived through the last 50 years have seen such phenomenal changes in human lifestyles.  The age of electronics has surpassed our wildest imaginations.  Looking back at days when teachers refused the use of calculators in the classroom because we might be too dependent on them and stunt our own intelligence.  The days when I insisted my children use the library instead of the computer to do their research, or the days when I thought they were much too young to even own a cell phone.

During my parenting years, negotiations were in full force in the ever changing environment of technology.  I soon realized that I was the one with the problem, not my children.  The world was changing and moving on with such momentum that if I did not get on the platform I would be left behind in this new world of electronics, and I would drag my children with me.

The commitment to embrace this new age is so exhilarating and frustrating for me.  No sooner have I caught on to the intricacies of the many valuable tools on my PC or smart phone, and sit smugly grinning as my children wonder who has walked off with their real mom, when I realize that some new AP has already arrived to keep me on my toes and appear intelligent.

I can now turn on my TV and have a smorgasbord of shows to watch.  I remember having only 2 channels on TV when I was a child.  The world has become a playground for all ages, stimulating visually and intellectually.

What I have learned is that the world around us seldom stays static.  Everything and everyone around us is in constant change and if we are not alert we could be left behind, even in relationships. We must embrace change.  Embracing change is the most difficult task in life, but it is not only necessary, but inevitable if we are to move with the times, and enjoy the many advantages that change brings to our lives.

So as the year 2015 comes to an end, I have only one resolution.
"Live, Love, Laugh"
In a world of constant change, I will arm myself with only 3 tools, the ability to live, the ability to laugh, and the ability to love.  Some days I may live without laughter, but I resolve never to live without love.