Published: Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010 / Updated: Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010 03:42 PM
Brain Flurries: Letting go takes real resolve
Surprise!
If you thought all that noisemaking and revelry on New Year's Eve was partying, it wasn't. Tradition says it wards off evil spirits.
And that kiss shared with loved ones, it's more than a kiss. It's said to seal relationships for the New Year.
So beware!
New Year's Eve traditions are as plentiful and diverse as New Year's Day resolutions. I'm already pondering some new traditions for next year.
At the first stroke of midnight in Wales, they open the back door and say good-bye to the old year. And on the 12th stroke of midnight, they open the front door and greet the New Year.
It sounds like fun, but I'm picturing myself racing the clock, scurrying from back to front with a glass of champagne in hand, and that could be dangerous.
Then there's the Spanish tradition of eating twelve grapes at the stroke of midnight, one for each toll.
It's a healthy way to start the New Year, but that's some fast eating amidst a lot of excitement. All that flitting around, pecking people on the cheek, toasting and noisemaking while quickly devouring grapes, that could be hazardous to your health.
I don't want to start the New Year choking on a grape; I might miss Dick Clark counting down the ball drop.
I think I'm going with the Sicilian tradition. It's the easiest, safest and tastiest, as long as someone else is preparing it. All I have to do is eat lasagna on New Year's Day. So what if it doesn't go with pork and sauerkraut? Everyone could use a little extra good luck.
But only lasagna, because tradition says any other type of noodle may cause woe.
Speaking of woe, let's talk resolutions. They make us feel guilty. They're demanding and they nag at us.
I found a way around them. I discovered that the word “resolution” originates from the Latin, “resolvere” which means, “to detach oneself.”
On New Year's Day, when my dad asked if anyone had any resolutions, I said, “ Yes. I resolve to put the candy dish away so we'll stop filling it.”
According to my new insight, I wasn't giving up candy; I was simply detaching myself from the candy dish. And, I was successful.
So this year, I resolve not to resolve, but to detach.
Wait.
Was that a resolution?
McClatchy Interactive is pleased to be able to offer its users the opportunity to make comments and hold conversations online. However, the interactive nature of the internet makes it impracticable for our staff to monitor each and every posting.
Since MIReference.com does not control user submitted statements, we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted on our website. In addition, we remind anyone interested in making an online comment that responsibility for statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not McClatchy Interactive.
If you find a comment offensive, clicking on exclamation icon will flag the comment for review by the administrators, we are counting on the good judgment of all our readers to help us.