For years I’d write New Year Predictions on a slip of paper and seal them up in an envelope on January 31. The following January 31 I’d open the envelope and see if any of them would come true.
My long lists would consist of things that I had no control over. I would write wild things about weather, politics, friends finding true love, fame, fortune, dream jobs, to name a few.
The odd thing was that every year about half of the predictions came true.
The things that came true were never huge global events like major earthquakes, wars, or floods.
The events that came true were either minor events, or extremely personal events in the lives of people I knew.
These were so random that nobody every thought any of these events could or would happen. But they did happen.
In my sealed envelope were predictions that friends would find love. They did indeed find love. They found the kind of love that swept them off of their feet. Unfortunately they were swept right into a flaming dumpster fire. One spent years and years in an abusive relationship. The other was with a chronic cheater.
Dream jobs happened but turned into nightmares. Fame was of the infamous kind, true love was anything but true.
When I got married I stopped my decades of predictions. I had no desire to risk burdening unhappiness upon anyone.
I know it was all coincidental, but one never knows. More than anything, it just wasn’t fun anymore.
As for resolutions, I don’t do those either. Resolutions are never fun and honestly I never know what each day will bring. I’ve learned that life likes to surprise me way too often. What works in January might be great but by March the list is added to and enhanced and revised, or even lost and forgotten.
That is just me. I’ve spend the past 160 years being fairly disorganized, transitional, unplanned, and completely spontaneous. On the other hand for the past two decades I’ve been a mom. That pretty much sums it up.
I’m fantastic at parenting. My kids are great. Yes, I will stand up and take a bow. It wasn’t easy but it was well worth it.
One thing I’ve learned, as most parents know, is that you can’t predict who your children will be, what they will like, what directions they’ll go in, or just about everything else about them.
What you can is control is how much you talk with them, how much you listen, how much you love, how much you care, how involved you are, and how much you let go of.
If resolutions and predictions make you feel fun, happy, or help you out then do it. You have my blessing.
I’ll tell you a secret – I’m kind of a flake and don’t do most things I say I’m going to do. Or at least I won’t do them in a quick timely manner. That’s all. Maybe the new year should be a true confessions time. Or maybe not. Maybe not might be the best answer.
No matter what, I wish everyone a wonderful 2020. May it be the best for all of my readers and blogging friends.
~ Juliette aka Vampire Maman
Vampire Maman 