Happy New Year !
Happy New Year !
A little late with the greeting for some but right on time for those of us born and raised into a Ukrainian Catholic household. Growing up, I had the benefit of celebrating English Christmas, December 25 and English New Years on January 1st. Then an acknowledgment of Ukrainian Christmas January 6-7 and some very good memories of Ukrainian New Years’ involving UNF, Rusulka, Plast or Prosvita, Malanka celebrations through my youth, involving a social which usually fell the Saturday closest to January 14.
Why is January 14 Ukrainian New Years? It has something to do with Gregorian and Julian calendars. They seem to be always 2 weeks apart. A quick search on the internet has some interesting explanations. https://www.britannica.com/science/Julian-calendar
New Years for anyone no matter when they celebrate is a time of reflection, what did the year behind give? What can the year and subsequent years ahead hold? My first Grandchild is a “Malanka” baby and my oldest daughter was married on January 14th. A very busy day for us in this household.
New Years for anyone no matter when they celebrate is a time of reflection, what did the year behind give? What can the year and subsequent years ahead hold? My first Grandchild is a “Malanka” baby and my oldest daughter was married on January 14th. A very busy day for us in this household.
January, The month of new beginnings and cherished memories. Winter weaves its wondrous spell, cold, crisp, we wear our woolen hats, mitts and scarves. We experience short days and long nights. Opportunity for lively conversation or solitary soul searching. Outside the temperature drops as the snow falls softly. All of nature is at peace or so it seems. We should be too. I enjoy cozy, quiet time near the fireplace. This is a space that has only seen the flames from multiple candles that my dear husband has, this past December, removed to replace with an electric fireplace that projects flames on the back wall. This is the month to dream to look forward to the year ahead and the journey that we shall take.
New Years Resolutions. I have never made a New Year’s Resolution, other than the one I made in my late teens. “I resolve to never make a New Years Resolution” I never have, and I never will. Goals on the other hand, well I am goal oriented. Each goal attained is just the stair to the next goal that I want to reach. I see resolutions different as goals. Goals have action. Resolutions are a proclamation of change. While a goal is a statement that is realistic, measurable, has a time attached, its specific and its yours. For example, rather than I resolve to loose weight this year, which is a popular resolution for many year after year. I would say I have a goal to loose 50 pounds, by the end of the year, I plan to achieve this by eating healthier every day, and exercising consistently everyday. One could even break down what does that new healthier eating look like, what, when and how much will that exercise be. A great quote from Dave Ramsey states “success does not happen by accident.” I believe success happens through hard work, persistence, failure, perseverance. It has action within it. So rather than making resolution declarations, I set goals.
I don’t think I could ever stop learning, growing and discovering new things. Through goal setting I accomplish this. Like Tea for example. One year ago, I had no idea where tea came from or how it was processed. What makes white tea different than green or black tea. I still don’t know the proper pronunciation of Rooibos. “roy -boss” seems to be correct when I google search and you know everything on the internet is true. I have read, researched, asked hard questions, tried to absorb difficult answers over the course of 2019, while beginning this tearoom business. I still have so much more to learn. So many more goals to achieve.
I will carve out a quiet time every other Tuesday to dream, pen in hand. I will share with you “Teatime Thoughts”. Things I have learned about Tea, things I have learned about running and owning a tearoom. I will share experiences and dreams that have captured my attention during the week.
I do hope that 2020 will be a year that you believe in yourself as I believe strongly in this Tea Room dream of mine. Let this year, 2020, be a year of transformation, New Year’s Day is after all a fresh start. A new chapter in life waiting to be written. New questions to be asked embraced and loved. Answers to be discovered and then lived through this year of delight and discovery.
Happy New Year !
Joanne
