A former colleague of my father’s put it best in a short blog entry for the first of the new year.  She entitled it “Fresh Starts.” I was so taken by it in its truth and simplicity, I shared it on Facebook.  Now I want to share it here with you, my readers.

It is true a new year is like an empty canvas.  There may be some primer on the canvas, some continuing events, but the canvas itself is ready for creation.  This new year is starting off with some primer for the world but hopefully, not so much that the creation is over shadowed.  This personal new year is also starting off with some primer.  Again, I pray it is not too much that the creation will not come through.

Mary, in her “Fresh Start” entry, wants us to resolve to “laugh often.”  Think back over yesterday.  Do you recall laughing at all?  I know I don’t but I have my reasons.  I do normally laugh frequently.  Do you realize how important laughter is.  My one son was laughing so hard at his older siblings he was literally getting an ab workout.  His abs were sore for days.  That makes me laugh.

Mary also says to “whistle in public.”  This is a resolution that I cannot get into.  Sometimes, and not all the time but probably 99%, whistling hurts my ears.  My kids whistle all the time.  It bothers me.  I politely ask them to stop.  This year, while I will not be out in public whistling, I will not ask anyone to stop.

Mary’s third resolution is the one that stopped me in my tracks.  It took me through some of what has been going on in my life and also took me to past spot in my life.  She says we should resolve to “forgive quickly.”

Forgiveness is truly a holy quality.  As humans, we struggle with it.  We like to hold onto things that hurt us.  We like to punish those who hurt us, whether intentional or not, so they feel pain also.  That “revenge” aspect is human, not holy.  I am not saying that forgiveness means forgetting what happened.  I am saying it is forgiving.  It is giving up claim to the hurt.  It is ceasing to feel resentment.  It is good for the heart, the soul, the mind and the body.

Mary’s final resolution is to “dance when we can, even if we aren’t very good at it.”  This resolution put a smile on my face.  I love to dance.  I love to move.  I will attempt to help Mary keep this resolution.

As an artist, I can see the potential of the blank canvas called 2010 that we have in front of us.  We need to do something with the canvas, something special.  Create away!

What will you create on your canvas of 2010?