All Packed Up And Put Away

The tree has been recycled, the vintage ornaments are wrapped and tucked away. The nutcracker is back in his box and all the signs of the holiday are safely put away until next season. I must say, after a difficult Christmas last year, this season was filled with light and cheer. Last year I was confined to my bed, unable to walk and unsure of what was wrong. It has been such a joy to be an active participant in our life again.

The New Year approached quietly and was welcomed with a few sips of champagne and a few sweet kisses. It is indeed a more simple life. Those things that matter are now at the forefront. My children, semi-grown, were off celebrating in their own way. My son spent the night on the Rose Parade route with several thousand other people. I am glad he was able to experience this silly kind of fun, staying up all night, sleeping on Colorado Boulevard, these are only things one does one young. Sleeping on the sidewalk? No thank you.

This weekend, I plan to give the house a good thorough New Year cleaning, sweep out the old year and welcome in the bright and shiny New Year. I have a lot of emotional dust from the last year that I would rather not drag around with me. It is better to let it go, clean it out of the corners and make room for something new.

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

-Alfred Tennyson