2012 - "The Car Goes Where the Eyes Go"

January 2012 started off so different than 2011. In many ways.

In January 2011 the weather was cold and snowy. The cold and snow were fun for a while, but in January 2012 the weather is even better. It is sunny and 60 degrees - so comfortable to be outside. North Carolina is truly the variety vacationland.

In January 2011 David IV was getting ready for his last January Interim and his last semester of college and Jay was adjusting to mixing college with Division I Basketball. In January 2012 David was home to ring in the New Year and then flew back to Dallas to work at the Cotton Bowl. Jay was in Virginia with the Bulldogs at Radford and VMI. There were a lot of comings and going like ships passing in the night.

And then there were things that were the same. Like cooking Blackeyed Peas, Greens and Streak o'lean (hog meat) for New Year's Day. Last January I blogged about Hoppin' John and Collards (recipes Dec 31, 2010 and Jan 3, 2011) and how they are supposed to bring Good Luck and Health for the coming year. I couldn't remember what hog meat would bring but I thought it might be happiness since we are all so happy when we have it. This year several people have reminded me that the hog meat is for Progress because the pig always has his snout to the ground and roots forward.

Well I am all for progress. Sometimes it's good to look forward and not backward. Faulkner said that in the south the past isn't dead, it's not even past. As much as I love southern ways, there are some times that we need to just move on. Like Oprah said, "forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past will be any different".

In recent years, we have made it a point on New Year's Eve to write down a few things from that year that we need to let go. Usually we jot a thought down on a post it note or two.. or three, throw it into the fire and watch it burn away. Better to burn negative thoughts in the fire than let them burn in our hearts.

It was so warm this New Year's Eve that we didn't build a fire but we did let some negative thoughts from 2011 go. KC, David IV, David and I took a quick trip to the Lake and since the water was still down we could walk all the way under the bridge and around the island. We picked up rocks along the way and thought about things from 2011 that needed to be let go. Now and then someone would toss or skip or heave a rock into the lake and watch it disappear. It's an exercise that will lighten your load.

Simba was along for the New Year's Eve walk around the lake and he found an old tennis ball to play with. He had a big time. He dropped it in the water but it floated back. I guess puppies don't have a lot of negative thoughts to let go.

Puppies are such fun. It's impossible to be around a puppy without laughing. I think even Dingo and Mr. Cat would laugh if they could.

We learn a lot from our animals. Not long ago Susan recommended a book called "The Art of Racing In the Rain" by Garth Stein. It's a quick read and a great story. The book is from the perspective of a dog and what he learns from the humans in his life. His owner is a race car driver who is especially talented when driving a racecar in the rain. The dog learns that the trick to driving in the rain is to keep your eyes on the road in front of you. Don't spend too much time looking in the rearview mirror.

Because the car goes where the eyes go.

Here's to keeping our eyes on the road ahead.

Happy 2012 - good luck, health and progress!