the eve of a new year

less than 5 hours before a new decade starts. funny how we compress time into little groups that make it easier for us to wrap our minds around when in fact, time is but an illusion and this is all just one freakin' long day. really. on new years day, everyone takes a moment and thinks of what changes they'll make, what issues to address and for the first time all year, they take a breath. a deep breath. an honest-to-goodness breath. and you figure that's probably the only successful breath they'll have over the next 364 days. because there is stress and jobs and love and not love and families and births and deaths and groupons that get all jumbled up in this mix and you find yourself breathing in short, quick gasps. and i'm not talking just metaphorically.

so i plead you, my 4 faithful followers (and to those who secretly read these), breathe. and don't just do it tomorrow. allow yourself to take one long, strong, deep breath and hold it at least once a day. or start small and try it 3 times a week. mark it on your calendar, circle it, put a gold star next to it. what we do automatically every moment of our lives can have more impact when done with a sense of purpose.

and all the "life" you're dealing with won't seem so unmanageable. and maybe, just maybe, you'll get your taxes done early. or you'll decide to enroll in that bartending class you've been told you should do. or you'll allow yourself an extra 15 minutes in a warm bath. or you'll try that new indian place down the road you've always walked by, secretly wishing you just went in and got that gosh darn samosa!

point is, before you make lofty (and not-so-lofty) resolutions, remember the most important one (though not the easiest as you'd think). breathe.

and with that said, i wish you all a wonderful new year. as for me, i have 5 hours to stretch my diaphragm and prep myself for that first breath of 2011.

cheers,
matt