Happy New Year from UnbridledACTS!
Wherever you happened to be at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, chances are you lip-synched your way through the illusive lyrics of Auld Lang Syne. Under the influence of the familiar strain and a few champagne toasts, you may also have been hit with a disorienting nostalgia and instantaneous affection for loved ones and strangers alike. The song has inspired generations to break forth in song, raising a “cup of kindness” and appreciation for all who are dear to us… past, present, near, or far.
However we choose to mark the occasion, bidding farewell to “the year that was” at the exact same moment we greet “the one that will be,” can create an emotional jumble inside. The past is so inextricably tied to who we are in the present and how we view the future that it’s impossible to look forward without reflecting back to formative people, places, and influences in our lives. Auld Lang Syne reminds us of this and bids us to embrace both.
Whether we experience a gentle swell of sweet reminiscence or the tidal wave of full-blown nostalgia, it takes a stout heart to keep from buckling under the weight of our own hearts sometimes. New Year’s Eve is one of those times for many of us. A “both-and” moment. Should we forget the past? No. Should we allow the past to keep us from living fully now and in the future? Never. By the end, Auld Land Syne swells with resolve to treasure both what has been and what will be. Both are set before us, and only we have the power to choose what will define and dictate our beliefs moving forward. It’s a profound moment.
Ponder the lyrics, if you haven’t already. Hold the memories of loved ones dear. Never forget the good things that have filled your life and formed who you are. Consider carefully the “trusty friends” you will join hands with in 2016, and choose those who will help you cling to what is good and release what is not. Trust them to help you see what you may not be able to see for yourself: a brand new year, brimming with emotional swells and tidal waves, unlimited possibility and great promise. For you, my friend.
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?
Here’s a hand, my trusty friend!
And give us a hand of yours!
We’ll take a cup of kindness yet
For old time’s sake, my dear.*
{And all the good to come!}
Your friends at UnbridledACTS see great hope for each of you this year, and we pray your hearts will be filled and shaped by every good thing that makes for a genuinely happy, healthy, blessed, and prosperous New Year!
*Lyrics have been paraphrased to capture the overall message of the song.