By Margaret Nitka
Here we are just two weeks into the brand new bauble of time we call a new year and already the shine seems to have rubbed off a bit. That great spirit of celebrating the moment, of counting the old year down and out while welcoming the new, should be enough to spark a real change in my life. But I’m ready to admit that what is required after the toasts and kisses and fireworks is a way to transform my resolve into everyday routine. It lifts my spirits to think that in there’s a moment of time when we collectively see so much possibility for ourselves. The trick for me is to find a way to keep on believing in those promises I make to myself.
And then one January night out of a clear, star-studded sky, there it is – a glorious full moon. Somehow, it is such a surprise in the deep dark of winter to revel in the glow of moonlight. It transforms the neighborhood as I walk my dog. All the holiday lights may be gone but the sleeping landscape and the bare Christmas trees lining the curb form deep shadows against the gleam of silvery light on the street.
There’s a moon river sparking a glittery white path on the Shrewsbury River. Moonbeams become the ordinary light of a winter’s night. I realize I need to look to the rhythms of the seasons and not the one night stand of New Year’s fireworks to keep seeing the possibility for change in my life and in all of life. Maybe the shine isn’t off the New Year after all. Maybe I just need to notice the light illuminating this precious moment in time. Happy 2012.
