Here you will find Tales Of The Day from a Small Town
Happy New Year
Hello 2022!
Well, we thought it would never end – 2021 that is. Good riddance, adieu, auf wiedersehen, yadda, yadda, yadda…
That’s all I’m going to say about 2021, for if I dwell upon it, I will enter a lengthy rant and we don’t want that this New Year Day, do we?
Here we are – a fresh page, a new dawn, and an exciting year ahead. The sun is shining as I write this, and the temperature is a balmy 12C. I can see that there are folks wandering the quiet streets of our small town – as they were earlier when I ventured out. Smiles were on the faces of friends and strangers alike, and utterances of ‘Hello’ and ‘Happy New Year!’ abounded. It’s a good day and I hope it bodes well for the year ahead.
I feel Spring in the air
It has been said that, yesterday was the warmest New Year’s Eve on record. Mother Nature is stirring and there is a feeling of Spring already in the air. I’m not a botanist, but I have a cousin who is, and I cannot but share their excitement in seeing the first signs of colour and bud. It’s a good feeling.
It may be warm here but over in north Ontario it’s a tad cooler. You will recall my sister, (I have often spoken of her here, most recently in my December 2021 musing entitled ‘42073 on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway – A Beautiful Beast!’) – she is the ‘L’ in L&H#1 (‘H’ being her husband). L, or Linda (I’m sure she won’t mind me sharing her name), and H (aka Harry), are visiting family over in Kenora, Canada (lat. 49.7670 N – long. 94.4894 W), where the temperature, today (15:15 UTC) is -42C! That’s factoring in the wind chill and strikes me as quite nippy – my sister’s recent comment was ‘So, so chilly’ – I’m sure that’s an understatement!
Resolutions, Yay or Nay?
Every new year is a time to take stock and, if feeling brave enough, a time to plan and make resolutions. For my part, I have tended not to make resolutions in the past as I find it so hard to keep to them! This year though, I have resolved to be resolute – I yearn to be a writer and, while my musings here are an avenue for that, I plan to explore other avenues and maybe, just maybe, my version of that book which we each have inside us, will one-day, see the light of day.
I also plan to become more proficient in my photography and bring some of my work into my other aspiration to create digital fine art. There, I’ve said it here now – committed it to record. For too long, my creativity has been ignored and placed in the shadows. Time to break out, to write, to photograph and to create art – I can do it, I will do it, so let’s go!
I resolve too to walk more. To enjoy the beautiful countryside we are so blessed here to have all around us here in South Cumbria. The lakes, fells, rivers, uplands and lowlands are wonders to behold, each with their own way of enticing you in. Hereabouts it is possible to ‘just be’, to be in the moment, to breathe in the magick, to listen, and to say to Nature, ‘yes, I hear you, you’re right, it is wonderful to be alive!’
Virtually on our doorstep we have the exquisite High Dam, near Finsthwaite, and it is the most wonderful place. The header image for this post was taken there. A peaceful spot, I recommend a visit during 2022 – but don’t tell anyone, it’s our secret!
Maybe we can revisit this post, in twelve months, to see whether my determination has borne fruit. I hope it does.
What is a Resolution?
In a nutshell, a resolution is a wish, or a decision made on an emotion. Very few people follow through on their New Year’s resolutions. This can be evident at your local gym. Notice that the gym is (pre CoVid at least) crowded on January 1. By February 1, a lot of the people are cleared out and by April, things are pretty much back to normal.
So, what is the answer? Simple. Make a goal, rather than a wish. A goal needs three things.
1. A clear objective that is measurable.
2. The goal needs to be achievable. If it’s really big, break it down to smaller goals (milestones).
3. A hard date that you want to achieve the goal by, i.e., a deadline.
Most importantly, write it down! Put it in a place where you can see it and it will magically motivate you. If you don’t write it down, you won’t do it. It’s a private contact between you and the thing that you want to accomplish.
2022 – it’s liftoff!
So, here we are – January 1, 2022. I wish you well and hope if, like me, you have made resolutions, your determination will see you through!