In 1788, Scottish writer Robert Burns penned the familiar words, “Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot and auld lang syne?”
For some, the familiar tune, Auld Lange Syne, will ring loudly in your ears this New Year’s Eve, but have you ever really pondered the words?
The literal translation leads us to reflect on days gone by and celebrate with kindness, but there’s another verse of the poem that is rarely read:
We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
since days of long ago.
As I read these lines, in my mind’s eye, I see two old friends on their own journeys, each met with roaring seas.
That’s oddly familiar to my impression of our journey this year. I would imagine that you have experienced your share of shifting seas this year as have I. Another year has brought the combination of both victory and defeat–joy and tragedy.
Children have been born and loved ones have passed, moments of abundance have met with moments of scarcity, and lives filled with sickness have been coupled with the promise of health.
And while we don’t ignore the challenges we’ve faced, I’m choosing to celebrate the victories.
So, as we stand on the cusp of another year, I wanted to invite you to join me in celebrating the moments of joy because I believe that the part of your mind that you feed is the part of your mind that grows.
Celebrating the Best of 2014
One of my greatest victories and proudest accomplishments this year was publishing my first book. So many of you have been so gracious to join me in this endeavor and for that, I am grateful. I just received a call yesterday from a fellow blogger who said, “When I held your book, it was the first book I’d ever received from someone I knew that had a dream and worked hard to make it a reality. What you’ve done has inspired me immensely.”
The truth is, the stories I hear from you and the encouragement I receive from you has been the fuel for this dream becoming a reality.
Thank you for that.
Check out the paperback version of the book on Amazon
Limited hardback copies are still available
Additionally, many of my celebrated moments have been wrapped up in my top posts this year. If you have a minute, I would love for you to revisit them and share those that encourage you with others.
1. Marriage Confession
2. When I Was Told I Had Cancer
3. The Rich Family in Church
4. My Wife Lost Her Father When She Was Fourteen
5. When You’re Going Through Hell
6. A Letter to My Son
Lastly, I want to know what I can celebrate with you. If you haven’t already, you can join us on Facebook in the Live Richly Community – a group of individuals cheering each other on toward an enriched life. Join us there and celebrate your moments or feel free to leave them in the comments below.
Join Us On Facebook
There’s a lot of exciting things on the radar for 2015 and I’m excited to sail the seas with you.
Happy New Year!
MH
Happy New Year Matt, looking forward to your posts in 2015.