New Years, Robbie Burns, Guy Lombardo & Dick Clark!

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 
and never brought to mind?  
Should auld acquaintance be forgot  
and days of auld lang syne? 

 Listen to Auld Lang Syne

Thank you Robbie Burns for taking an old Scottish song in 1788,   researching the lyrics, history and documenting for the first time on paper "Auld Lang Syne". Thank you Canadian, Guy Lombardo, for taking the song in 1929 and declaring it the annual New Year's Eve tradition to play upon the stroke of midnight. What a great song! It is the quintessential tune for celebrating the old and welcoming the new! Thank you Dick Clark for making it a part of every Rockin' New Years Eve! 

Who doesn't acquaint this song with the New Year?

This year has seen us leave much of the old which will never be forgotten. Of course it will fade and the next time (if) we see our friends again things will have changed. Our friendships remain in a holding pattern and yet we both have moved on with our lives... though the friendship remains.  Should it be forgotten? I don't think so. We may never regain what we had, however will always value how we touched each others lives. Everything we have gone through makes us the people we are today, for better or for worse. Friends change, family is here forever. To my family and loved ones, I miss you and I am glad you are all just a phone call away.

2010 was a year when my job ended, my hopes of ever owning a home in BC demolished, our family welcomed new babies, I traveled to the Atlantic for the first time, I uprooted my loved ones and transported them across the country to our new home, I finally owned a home, and amidst it all the disappointments, the apprehension and the excitement, I knew that my family was all that really mattered. 

For auld lang syne, my dear,  
For auld lang syne,  
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet  
For auld lang syne

As they say, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Some days I made hard lemonade to get through! Other days were so sweet it didn't need any extra sugar. No matter what   we were drinking that day, we were still alive and well to enjoy it. Of course there were times that we threw our hands up and yelled "WHAT THE HELL HAVE WE DONE?" and then we laughed because there was no turning back.

I believe I would take the last year and do it again, however a little differently. As we all know hindsight is 20/20 and we think we would not make the same mistakes and would learn and change. In the last year my high school reunion was over due  one year for the 25th reunion. Having never been to a reunion, knowing that I was moving and this would likely be my last chance, I jumped on board to get things rolling. I was dismayed and let down to be unable to attend, I knew the timing might be off and it was. I was grateful to get to be a part of the committee, reunite with some long lost friends and find some new friends as a result of Facebook among some of our research techniques. Thank you to those Grads that have offered me friendship and encouragement. I wish you all many years of health, family and doing what you love.

Facebook is a great way to connect with people. I don't play games on it, rarely chat, nevertheless I enjoy seeing how people are, feeling connected through cyberspace, watching us all grow old together, seeing our children grow and remaining in touch. Thank you Facebook friends, family and everyone else out there! So, again this begs the question "Should old acquaintance be forgot?" I say NO! Let's stay in touch, enjoy each others successes, grieve together and cheer on through the hard times. 

The Chinese calendar shows that 2010 was the year of the Tiger and 2011 is the year of the Rabbit. I wish you a peaceful and successful year of the Rabbit after we leave the wild Tiger behind. Much peace, love, joy and prosperity to you and your family! I plan to start my website business to work from home, plant a large garden, preserve more food, get my chickens and continue to develop my farm. I also plan to try to enjoy more, stress less and remember that the times my kids drive me crazy will end. 

Now get on with it and make this year mean something!

 

Learn more about the Chinese calendar and meanings