A brand new year, less seven days

Celebrate today, and tomorrow and all of the tomorrows until December 31, 2016

Celebrate today, and tomorrow and all of the tomorrows until December 31, 2016

Today I thought that a new year is like putting on a new pair of jeans that are the same size and number as a comfy pair.

Brand new

Brand new

When I unfold the crisp expectations, the color is deeper. I admire thighs sans creases, the tight knees, and clean hem. I open the snap and the zipper, spread the waistband and slide one foot into each leg anticipating the comfort as secure as a tortoise in the place where my thighs, buttocks and waist are encased in the rugged cotton twill. But these are tighter than the pair I wore yesterday. These jeans are stiff and don’t have the experience of movement. They remind me that perhaps I hadn’t exercised as much as I thought, perhaps the brownies really did have calories, and perhaps gravity tug did shift parts of me.

I pull up the zipper and stretch the waist band enough to loop the button. These new jeans will form to me and become comfortable with bending and stretching while I play with my grandchildren, develop the creases from sitting in my office chair pondering my stories, accompany me on my travels near and far from home, and soften with each wash.

In January, the year is new and shinny without any mistakes but those we bring to it. It is without experience until we go about our lives. Slowly we adjust to the newness, we begin new adventures and continue with routines, and gradually become comfortable. And the year rolls on. Accomplishments are acknowledged, happy memories are made, sadness is experienced, and love deepens.

Like a new pair of jeans, familiar yet different, the day, weeks and months shape to us.

Enjoy your new year full of possibilities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrate photo credit: http://www.freeimages.com/photo/celebrate-1160580

Blue jean photo credit: http://www.freeimages.com/photo/blue-jeans-1189600 by Penny Mathews