My New Year Wishes

Propelled by complexity and entanglements, we speed through time so fast that years go by and opportunities to enjoy meaning are missed.  I do not wish 2014 to be a year lost in that way.  Towards that end, here are the three things I want to think about most this year.

Experiences:  I want to spend time with the people I love in places both old and new.  Sharing a sunset or a meal with someone you care about is not something that should ever be put off until next year.  No matter the circumstances or the budget, experiences and the connection by which I remember them, are first on my list this year.

Learning:  My brain is the happiest when it is being stretched with new thinking and new information.  I want to surround myself with people that are using their brains to do new, positive, and productive things for the world.  Life is too short to be around people that use their brains to suck the life out of other people.

Building:  As a kid I didn't want to just throw big rocks into the river.  I wanted to pile up the rocks and balance a log and make a bridge.  I like being a builder.  There are many people who want to get in the way of constructive work, or to sit under the bridge exacting a toll each time someone passes.  Such parasites do not deserve our attention, we will push forward and build bridges anyway.  At the end of 2014 I want to look back and see that the things I built helped make the world a better place.

I have found that the people who are facing the most difficult circumstances, appreciate the new year more than those just coasting along.  Whether due to war, typhoon, or tort, too many people have a very real need for 2014 to be a better year.  

Here is to leaving 2013 and all it brought us behind!