Are we there yet?

An age-old question, usually heard during long road trips. No, thank heavens, I'm not on such a trip today. But I am on another journey... we all are... from one measured span of time into another. One realm of existence into the next.

Sounds very sci-fi, doesn't it? ;)

We take this journey every December 31st. Most of us gather our friends and loved ones together, as we are so blessed, and party in our own way until the clock strikes midnight. The witching hour. The breath of time that lasts twelve short beats between one year and the next.

But what is a year, really? It's merely one revolution around a star. A measure of time with which we mark our lives. A year here, on planet Earth, is something quite different anywhere else. All in all, there's really nothing magical about it, is there?

Depends.

I remember, as a very young child, that there seemed to be something magical about the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. It seemed that time stood still -- every so slightly -- as the ball dropped over Time's Square and the world stood by to count down the seconds in unison. Yes, it was already the New Year somewhere else, but my young mind didn't grasp that fact or simply didn't care. In a small, sixty-second moment of time, the world shifted; time altered; and before me opened a whole new realm of possibilities.

Like a cosmic 're-set' button. ;)

So, tonight we'll sing the Scot's traditional goodbye to "Auld Lang Syne"... lift a cup to toast the old year and welcome the next... kiss whoever stands closest... and make lots of noise... just so we can hang up a new calendar.

And maybe, just maybe, we'll plan to make some positive changes: to live more fully; to love more deeply; to help those in need more often; and to never forget to give thanks for our blessings.

It's a whole new realm of time, after all. A new section in the future history books. Surely there must be some magic in it?

And for any of you who beat me to it ... How does 2011 look so far? :)

Happy New Year, everyone!

~~Meg Allison
Indulge your senses...
www.megallisonauthor.com