The Key

It's 12:36AM, January 1, 2014. 2014. 2014. Maybe if I type the year enough it will sink in. 

My three eldest children, my husband and I are watching Jaws. Wonderful movie to watch before bed, especially for kids who don't watch scary movies. It's rated PG - I have no idea how - but it freaks me out. A strange way to start the new year. The littles are upstairs watching their own movie for as long as it takes for them to pass out. I'm sure it won't take long.

The best laid plans went a bit awry tonight. I had envisioned a night of movies, games, and wonderment. I fell asleep at 8pm and drifted in and out through a movie and a half. The movies of choice this year were Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and Disney's 1973 Robin Hood. Even so, it's a wonderful night. 

The key to our New Year's Eve was this:

Opening the big jar, we each pulled out a handful of memories, the first from New Year's Day 2013, the last, just days ago. The jar included tickets from plays and movies; drawings; descriptions of events and conversations; even a wine cork. Sharing them, laughter spilled out, smiles abounded, and tough times were forgotten. It was a wonderful reminder of how good our life is and how precious these memories are. I see a collage of memories project in our future, and an empty jar awaiting 2014 memories. 

This is what life's about, really- making memories and not only treasuring, but sharing the good ones; letting the bad ones go. Taking a walk down Memory Lane every so often to remind ourselves to live in the moment, to laugh, to cry, to live life instead of letting it pass us by, and to look forward to a future full of such heartwarming keepsakes. 

Memories are the key not to the past, but to the future.- Corrie ten Boom