new year notions

The word notion has several related definitions including (a) a general understanding; (b) vague or imperfect conception or idea of something; (c) an opinion, view or belief; a fanciful or foolish idea.

Here are some new year's notions. I will let you decide which categorical definition they fit best with of those above.

*I have this notion that "new" is a hopeful word, when, in fact, it may signal only the perpetuation of what already is in motion.

*I have a notion that a "year" is a long time, but my experience retrospectively is that is passes all too quickly.

*I have a notion that the celebration orchestrated at the beginning of a "new year", generally for many accompanied by anebriation and synthetically-induced euphoria, is a temporary mask for the anticipated pain of unresolved problems.

*I have this notion that "new year" is only a calendar moment, and contains no introduction of "newness" unless some determined force is put into operation.

*I have a notion that we have a natural inclination to long for something "new", and that the hope of that is somehow mystically nurtured by the movement from December 31st to January 1st.

*I have this notion that soon enough "new year's" resolutions--the expected January activity of those hopeful for change--are soon abandoned, some as early as January 2nd.

A new year is here. If "newness" is simply the expectation of another calendar movement, all things will probably remain pretty mucha s is...or worse.

But if a new year signals a fresh calendar coupled with new resolve, new disicpline, new energy--and for me as a believer in Christ, a new hope--then the climate for change may be more than just a foolish notion. It may actually result in something new and good.