Saturday, August 20, 2011

New Year's Day


Why is New Year's Eve such a popular time for celebration and gathering? Why are so many resolutions to change for the better made on New Year's Day?

When midnight strikes, the year has a brand new number, and the month, day, hour and second are rolled back to 1.

The moment is also special because it is shared by so many - everyone using the Gregorian calendar in the same time zone, and within 24 hours, the whole world.

A fresh page is turned, a new book opened at the beginning, a brand new diary started, an empty canvas is placed on the easel.

In the innocent purity of the moment, we stand like little children on our doorsteps, about to embark on our first journey to school. When nothing is yet started, everything is possible.

But that isn't the whole story, is it?  In fact, everything is already started, and what we perceive as the present moment, as distinct from the past and the future, is just a mental construct, like the illusion that a candle flame is a fixed "thing".

Heat melts the wax, capillary action draws it up the wick, heat vapourizes and ignites it, creating new flame, which in turn melts more wax.

Meanwhile, the original flame has become hot air and cooler air has rushed in to become new flame. Because the cycle is seamless, the flame seems unchanging. So does the present moment.

But as we say the word "now", by the time we have pronounced the letter 'n' and moved on to the letter 'o', the 'n' is in the past and the 'w' is still in the future. As the flame is continually being re-created, so is this moment. So are we.

So if right now everything is new, beginning at 1, and everyone is sharing it, isn't now a good time to celebrate and gather, and to resolve to change for the better?

Take heart!
Every moment
A second chance


8 comments:

  1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0IRY_eWuIw :)

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  2. What a lovely and inspiring post to make everything seem possible! What a chance to start our world anew! --- Peacefully.
    Thank you. ;)

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  3. Bea, thank you so much for taking the time to browse around and for your kind comments!

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  4. this is seems so timely with all the things going on in the world these days. and what a good reminder to me to step over the threshold of a new moment as it arises instead of being lost in fear and worry and the past!

    happy new moment to you too, David!

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    1. Thanks Carole - wishing you many happy new moments!

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  5. Beautifully said - this post has such a good feel. Thank you, David.

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    1. Thank you, Susan. It felt like time to share it again.

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