We rang in the New Year, Koosmann-style...
We all got in our pajamas and played a couple rousing rounds of Hungry, Hungry Hippos.
We had a noisemaker parade.
What New Years Eve is complete without a treat? Root beer floats for everyone!
Brendan was pretty excited for the small firework streamers we let him try this year, although Megan ran from the room because she didn't like the popping noise.
Despite Brendan's assurance that he would last until midnight, all three children were exhausted by 9pm. After putting the kids to bed, Brad and I relaxed and chatted on the couch together. He ended up falling asleep, and while I sat there, running my hands through his hair (which my hair length has finally surpassed! Hooray!) I spent some time reflecting on the past year, thinking about the coming year, and pondering New Year's Resolutions.
Generally, I don't do resolutions. I'm all for setting goals and for aspiring to be a better person, but I don't believe there is one day that is more important than the other 364 for setting and accomplishing those goals (similar to how I don't believe that Valentines Day should be the day for letting people know you love them.) I don't mind the concept of New Year's Resolutions and Valentine's Day, because, frankly, if some people need that one day as a reminder, then why not? The thing about my goals and aspirations is that they generally don't change...they're a running list of things I have to continue to work on...
Be more patient.
Don't raise my voice in anger or frustration.
Continue to incorporate a healthier, more active lifestyle.
Spend more quality time with Brad, each of the kids, and my loved ones.
Don't spend too much of my time and energy worrying about things I can't control.
Build on my faith and education.
But, for the last couple of years, the concept of finessing some dedicated principals to live by has taken shape. It hit me deepest at my Grandpa Rocco's funeral, when the priest and my loved ones spoke about my Grandpa and the guiding principals that he lived by. I left that day with a seed firmly planted in my mind and soul, a seed of determining my own guiding principals. And I stumbled upon it. A concept that encompassses all of my goals. To quote Margie Palatini's children's book, Moosetache, "It was so simple. So easy. So perfectly perfect."
Kindness.
Previously, I've always used the word compassion when thinking about how I want to live my life and what message I want to instill in my children. But, during the last couple of months, I've been thinking about the difference between compassion and kindness, and what it means to me. Personally, compassion brings to mind a feeling. I highly support that feeling and firmly believe there's not enough of it in the world, but by my own internal definition, compassion focuses on that feeling. Kindness, to me, encompasses action as well. I want to choose the action of kindness. Every. Single. Time.
I just finished reading Khaled Hosseini's And The Mountains Echoed (excellent and thought-provoking!) and the character Nila Wahdati makes a statement within the book that has stayed with me for days. " 'J'aurais du etre plus gentille--I should have been more kind. That is something a person will never regret. You will never say to yourself when you are old, Ah, I wish I was not good to that person. You will never think that.' "
If there is one lesson the past 12 months have taught me, it's that kindness has a direct impact. My family and I have been on the receiving end of an enormous amount of kindness, and it has made all of the difference in the world. One of the best things about kindness is that it's all-encompassing: kindness for loved ones, kindness for strangers, and kindness for yourself. All of my long list of aspirations can be found with kindness. I love that we all have the ability within ourselves. Share it!
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