Mark your calendars

On By Richmond Road

I have been reading, this morning, about the fact that December has started. It is a time, it would appear, for reflection. I’ve read a lot about ‘what a year it has been for me’ and I have read all about people’s achievements and about their personal growth over the preceding eleven months. Nobody seems to hold great hopes for December itself, though. They are already beckoning in another year. Sorry December. Please step aside and let us through.

The focal point for the month, to be sure, is towards the end and I suppose I can understand the excitement of getting there. But it must make a date like, say, December 12, feel a bit inferior and a bit pointless. This year I might hold a celebration of some sort on December 17 – in the name of diurnal equality.

My mother, incidentally, was born on December 25. What rotten luck.

But if I am to get all reflective myself then I’d have to admit to having achieved absolutely nothing so far this year. Based on form it is unreasonable to anticipate great successes in the next 31 days either. Last year was much the same. I have gotten a bit lazier and fatter, I suppose, but this is not so much an achievement but rather just part of the evolutionary process. I was discussing with a friend last night (over a glass of wine. Or two) the idea of devolution …. she was wondering if it were possible to go backwards in the process. She had noticed that those around her were growing gradually more stupid. She may have been referring to me.

The idea is a nonsense, as far as I can tell, for it assumes that there is a direction in all of this – some sort of destination for the great ship of fools. But there is no up or down, no east or west. Nowhere to go. So just relax. And stop trying to steer. We will all get there soon enough and when we do we will realise that there is here and then is now. We have already arrived.

But try to set aside a little time for December 17, just the same. Try to make it feel special.

36 thoughts on “Mark your calendars”

      1. Got it! Yet, by mentioning this particular date, are you not making it “significant?”

        As for me, I will most likely allow it to pass by in the same manner as all others. Great things may or may not occur. Who knows? Life is full of surprises.

        P.S. Personally, I would not be a bit upset if the that “other day” you mentioned just sailed on by. But alas, I tend to be in the minority.

        Like

      3. 😄

        And if, by chance, it is a significant day for you (as calmkate mentioned), I hope it brings much joy and happiness in its significance.

        Like

      4. sounds like it could just maybe be your birthday … another year clocked up in more ways than one … live in the here and now!
        [i hear a roaring cheer]

        Like

      12. well good clear communication does go a long way … consider it done, and ask for recruitments … will we have to do signing tours or you just gonna sell it on amazon?

        Like

  3. I find it an interesting thought asking yourself what you have achieved in the past year?
    Does it matter? Did you set yourself unrealistic goals and not having achieved any of them are you therefore disappointed in yourself or others?
    I don’t set goals so when I ask that question i find I’m still alive and that is a plus in itself. Living day to day is hard enough I think. I think celebrating in some way or other December 17 makes as much sense as anything else. Of course there are family considerations come December 25th and the obligations you have with that particular date.
    I have discovered the magic of living in the NOW. It sort of makes expectation immediate and you don’t have time to worry about what might happen tomorrow. Best wishes to you good sir, and all the best for the 17th.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    2. I love a good challenge and so I have written my response to December 17th. I am hoping you end up with a fascinating collection of poetic thoughts, such that you might consider it an annual event.
      Best Wishes

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  5. I’m not a big fan of reflecting on things in December, and setting goals for the next year. I do focus on the here and now, and reflect continuously throughout the year. However, I will say that this year had been good so far. A life long dream achieved, a change in a stagnant life made… not too many negative things…
    I’m starting to wonder what I did last night, though. Because your friend does sound a lot like me. I, too, talk a lot about “de-evolution”.

    Like

    Reply

  8. Pingback: A Special Day: December 17 | Nan's Notebook

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Twitter picture

You are commenting using your Twitter account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.