“Do you have your New Year’s Resolutions picked out yet?” my mother questioned two weeks ago in the middle of the hustle-bustle while trying to get myself organized for Christmas.

To be honest with you, there have been years as an adult when I have totally rebelled. In all the years of my writing down resolutions, I don’t think I ever accomplished what I wrote down. Even if I did, such as losing 10 or 20 lbs., by the time the holidays rolled around again, the weight was back on due to overindulgence and it would be my first resolution all over again – the pattern repeated itself.

My sister and I wrote resolutions from the time we could write and I vaguely remember dictating them to my mother before that time. Basically, our mother is and was super into them.

As human beings, I do think we like the idea of “do-overs” and the New Year makes for a perfect opportunity to start anew.  Wipe the slate clean, become perfect . . . NOT!

I was at the zoo today with part of my family. (I have very young grandchildren of varying ages and I was with the oldest who is almost 5 years old).

At the zoo, I contemplated on how all  animals struggle to survive.  As human beings, we are really the same except that we have the biggest brain. So, we expect more of ourselves than just merely surviving and raising our young. We are supposed to grow and improve in some way with each passing year until we end up like little children again – which isn’t bad because in essence, they are the smartest of all humans! The little ones are constantly growing, changing, striving, and at the same time – living in the moment.

After the zoo we went to a park for her to play with other children. Observe young children playing together. They get excited to be sliding down the slides and running after one another, around and around, smiling and laughing, playing together but separate. They don’t have the need yet to learn one another’s names. Each child is simply in her bliss – giggling and laughing in the moment!

Here’s to living in the moment!

Bye for now,

Francesca