Happy New Year

Christy Fredrickson
Posted 12/30/21

Happy New Year.

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Happy New Year

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Happy New Year.

In many ways, a new year is a blank slate, a fresh start, a new beginning.  So everybody wants to get as much of an edge as they can.  One of the most fun ways to bring in the New Year right is to eat right.  

Beans, greens and cornbread are supposed to be lucky because they resemble money.  Greens and cornbread are easy – they look like dollars and gold.  You may have to stretch your imagination a little with the beans, but remember a good imagination makes you smart.

Grapes are supposed to be a predictor of the year.  Eat twelve grapes on the stroke of midnight, one for each month of the year.  If any grape is sour, look out for that month.

Fish is also supposed to bring good luck, including clams and oysters.  No one knows why, it just is.  If you don’t believe it just forget about eating fish on New Year’s Eve and see how your year goes.

So if you munch on all the “good luck” foods and avoid black cats and walking under ladders on New Year’s Eve, you should be all set, right?  A whole year of good health, good luck, wisdom and money.  Or not.

I know it’s hard to believe, but sometimes in life eating lucky foods does not affect your life one bit.  

Sometimes it takes hard work and perseverance.  Sometimes it takes a new goal or a new method.  Sometimes it takes a new angle or view.  Sadly, sometimes you can’t just eat your way to a good year.

But, as C.S. Lewis said, “There are far better things ahead than the things we leave behind.”

Sometimes we just have to look ahead far enough.  Yes, we may have a mountain to climb, but once we do, think about the view.

The key is to never give up.  Of course giving up is not the same as changing.  If you’re in a bad situation, definitely change.  But even bad times can bring wisdom or experience that will make us stronger and better.

So as we look ahead to this new year, this blank page, this clean slate, write on it carefully.  Make good choices, look for the positive…and yes…eat your grapes.