New Year's: My new favorite holiday.

"New Year's eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights."
~Hamilton Wright Mabie

So on New Year's Eve, while dancing to live music at The Gallivan Center, I looked around at all the other party-goers and had a moment. You know, one of those moments where you feel like your mind has taken a picture that will forever be imprinted in the album of your mind? It has a significant, meaningful, powerful, life altering caption attached to it? Yeah, one of those moments.

Live music on stage.

Snow on the ground.

Weird boy dancing in a way that made him look like a mix between Peewee Herman and a greasy child molester... oh wait, those are one in the same. Anyway. His beanie and skinny jeans made him look like Condom Man. Yeah, so he was gross. Let's forget about him.

Moving on...

Couples laughing, dancing, kissing.

Nerdy couple dancing nerdily. Yes, that's a word. In my book (blog), it is.

People sitting at their windows of the Marriott hotel looking down at us who braved the cold. One hotel room flipping their light on and off for a good two minutes. It wasn't even an SOS signal in Morse Code because it was just in one straight rhythmic on/off pattern. No variance.

2010 in lights on a downtown high-rise.

Sparkling lights.

Smiles everywhere.

So my moment? (Because that description was just my picture... now, on to the caption.)

People are happy on New Year's Eve. They're either happy because they've had a great year, and this day, before a new year dawns, gives them the opportunity to reflect on all that has been good that year OR they are happy because they've had a horrible year and this day, before the new year dawns, gives them a clean slate, a do-over, a fresh start. Either way there is a sense of freedom and of hope. Hope for the new year and what it will bring. And there is a genuine feeling that the new year will bring good things.

So I stood, swaying side to side, tapping my feet and looking out over this crowd of people and felt rejuvenated. Excited to be about what is yet to come. Everyone was wishing their friends and random strangers alike, a "Happy New Year." It was just delightful, really. And I took a picture. Just like that. In my mind.

The next morning, I awoke and lay in my bed, pondering what had occurred that night. Not the live music nor the lights tapping out Morse Code nor my swaying from side to side nor the condom man boy dancing in a greasy child molester fashion, ... but the change from one year to the next, from one decade to the next. I lay there and thought about how I like even numbers and I'm glad this year is even. I though about where I was 10 years ago, what I've done since then, and where I am today. I'm so happy to be where I am today. I've had so many fun, wonderful, meaningful, life-altering experiences. I'm happy to be 31 and not 21. It feels good. I've grown. I've traveled. I've made decisions. I've found myself. I have lived life the past 10 years! And I'm still living. More is yet to come. Good things.

So New Year's Day (and its Eve) were very thought-provoking for me this year. I spent time thinking about this sense of renewal and what I was going to do with that this year. For me, resolutions are simply decisions, decisions to make life better for you and those around you. So I thought about what improvements I want to make with this new fresh clean slate of 2010 and I just got excited. Life always has room for improvement and New Year's (and its Eve) are just built-in reminders to make decisions toward that improvement.

And so with that, I've decided... New Year's Day (including its Eve) is my favorite holiday. And though the calendar celebrates it but once a year, the feeling that it brings can be renewed whenever I decide.

Happy New Year!