greet and welcome 2020

​I love rest and holidays; it is a time of less pressure and more sleeping, eating, chatting, laughing, playing and just enjoying oneself and life.   I am tempted to stay longer in holiday mode.  But the lure of work is that it also gives one a sense of purpose.  The reality is that we need both rest and work.  ​As we start this year, I thought to write about greeting and welcoming all into 2020.   

      Greet and welcome known stories of 2019 and unfolding ones of 2020
      Greet and welcome achievements and disappointments
      Greet and welcome abilities and struggles
      Greet and welcome losses and gains
      Greet and welcome who we are and yet to be
      For new beginnings are in all things

2020 is a new year and, although I don’t fully understand the gift of new beginnings, it is a new season for starting again and having another chance.  After a rest it is much easier to start again with renewed energy.  This is perhaps why little children need so much sleep during the day, a little recharge before starting again to play and learn.  I wonder if there is a link between when the day sleeps are dropped and general exhaustion and irritability becomes more common.  Is there enough evidence to justify a short daily nap time for all of us, especially parents and carers of young children?  You have guessed, I am looking for reasons for more rest, but I do know that rest and meaningful activities are both important for well-being. 

I love the energy of little children who want to play and practice new skills over and over until they become better at it.  It is not surprising that first words include ‘more’ and ‘again’.  I am not too surprised that this energy fades as expectations for ‘doing it right’ are placed on our children.     
    
As we go forward in 2020, let us have the courage to greet and welcome all of life’s experiences.  This is a time of remembering that it’s okay and actually even good to start something new or do it over again.  I wonder whether, in starting again, or doing something again, we can learn that good can come out of ‘bad’ and that joy and difficulties are not so clearly separated.  But most of all I hope that for each one of us, we can learn that new beginnings are not just at this time of year but can be anytime.  
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      For new beginnings can be in all things and anytime.  

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