The Miracle Year

I have decided that 2013 will be a year of miracles. I made this decision as I was taking my Christmas tree down. (Stay with me here…)

To me, there are few things more depressing than taking down a Christmas tree. It means that the Holiday season is truly over. There’s nothing in the near future to look forward to, except for the ever-elusive possibility of a snow day. “But Lexie,” I chided myself, “You have so many things to be grateful for. Think of all the people who have real problems!”

And so I started thinking. And you know what? Pretty much everyone I know is struggling with something. If I can think of someone who’s not struggling, it probably means I just don’t know them well enough to know the burden they are carrying. Then I started thinking about some of the things my family is struggling with too. And right then I decided: 2013 is the year of Miracles. I’ve made some New Year’s resolutions, and I hope you’ll let me share them with you.

[sws_pullquote_right] Not only do we have to see the Miracles that are constantly happening around us, but we have to prepare ourselves to BE the miracle. [/sws_pullquote_right]

Seeing is Believing

Albert Einstein once said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. But only one is the way of joy.”

To someone who lived 50 years ago, the technology of a cell phone is a miracle. You mean, you can pick up this little object that you carry with you everywhere and talk to ANYONE IN THE WORLD??? Miracle. To those who went through school more than 20 years ago, the internet are a miracle. You mean when you have a research paper you don’t have to even leave your house to go to the Library? And you can do research at 2 AM IN THE MORNING??? Miracle. Think of the strides the medicine has made in the past 10 years. I have a dear friend who is struggling with masses on her ovaries while trying to get pregnant. Even 10 years ago, her prognosis on having a baby would be unlikely. Today her chances are much better. A resolution to her situation is one of the miracles I’m hoping for in 2013.

I think of my own life. If you had told me years ago, that today I would be married, mother to a 7 year old, writing for a parenting blog, I would have told you “You’re crazy!” Yet this April I’m celebrating 4 years since my husband, stepson, and I became a family. Miracle. Whenever the January blahs get too overwhelming, I just have to put on my “miracle glasses”.

So New Year’s Resolution #1: See the miracles all around, the ones that currently exist and the ones that will happen this year.

Be the Miracle

Not only do we have to see the Miracles that are constantly happening around us, but we have to prepare ourselves to BE the miracle.

A few years ago, I attended a workshop on working with members of the public with mental illness. I love one of the pieces of advice the speaker gave: “Take care of yourself. You can’t take care of someone else if you are neglecting yourself. Don’t eat the food you know is going to make you crazy. Don’t stay up late when you know you need to sleep. Work out like you know you need to, even if you don’t want to. Take care of yourself so you can be the best you can be when someone needs your help.” Great, great advice. However, do I follow this advice all the time? No.

In fact I was having a conversation with a friend recently where I was complaining about how down I was feeling. “No wonder”, she said. “You have all of these people and projects taking your energy. What are you doing to refuel your energy?” Me: “Uh….nothing???” Yeah, lesson learned. I’m working on taking better care of myself, and being my own miracle.

New Year’s Resolution #2: Be the miracle in my own and other’s lives.

I hope that 2013 will be full of Miracles for each and every one of us. What are some of the miracles you’re hoping for this year?

 

Photos by littlekissme~ and shawnzrossi via Flickr Creative Commons