Chistmas, New Year & my last resolution.

Christmas:
Well, the snow came, I worked about 60 hours in 4 days, came home exausted with a cold and completely not ready for Christmas (which came right on schedule a few days after). Christmas was wonderful and filled with loving family, good food, and the wonderful smiles of children who believe in Santa. The last week went so fast that I almost feel like I missed a day or two in there.
New Year:
A wise singer once wrote the following lyric - 'Guess I'll make a resolution, that I'll never make another one, just enjoy this ride on my trip around the sun.' I would be foolish to assume that Jimmy Buffet has it all figured out, but I am with him on this one. Resolutions are too easily caught up in the day-to-day craziness that is life and then we are left feeling like we failed or let ourselves down. I see the new year as an opportunity to be a better Father, Husband, co-worker and person that I was before. If I focus on this big picture, it will be easier to do all the little things that are usually wrapped up in 'resolutions'.
Last Resolution:
I encourage everyone to join me in proclaming the last resolution:

"I resolve to never make another resolution"

Feels good, doesn't it?

Zen and the Art of Snow Removal

Can you smell it in the air? Snow is coming. Staring down the barrel of the first snow event of the season is like getting on a roller coaster for the first time in 10 years - at least it is for those of us who have to go out and clear it as part of our vocation. Every storm has a personality, a life of it's own. You have to make fast friends with the snow or it will make your life miserable. In the end, it all goes away and we forget how good or bad it was because it moves so fast. I guess in a way, working snow is like many things in life. New events create trepidation, then acceptance and adjustment, and later the event passes, we move on and the memories fade. Until the next one comes along. Can you smell it in the air? I can.

Clarity

It is so very rare that we experience clarity these days. Everywhere you look there is someone or something pushing or pulling for your attention, your support, your allegiance and of course, your money. How do we clear through the clutter and haze created by this crazy world we inhabit? How do we walk our own path with so many fences and signs in our way? More to the point, is it even possible? Of course there are those who claim to have clarity and they want to share it with us - take us to where they are. Strikes me as being another layer of the clutter. I believe that clarity is a singular experience for each of us, one that cannot be shared. Because it sounds right to me to think of it as a journey rather than a destination. You can take someone to a place, but you cannot make them see and feel the exact things you did in the exact same manner as you did on the way there. Pretty deep stuff for a Tuesday, but it was on my mind. The end of the year always gets me to thinking how I could have done better and what I could have done different - more on that in the New Years Blog.

Clarity is the journey.

Happy trails!