Nora hanging out on the Pensacola Beach “Wall of Shame” on New Years Eve day.
Another year has passed. Hard to believe. But I feel the same way each New Years day. And it seems every year goes by faster and faster. Yet, each New Years Day, I approach it with optimism and create resolutions for myself, much like everyone else does. And like everyone else I like the idea of a fresh start to tackle the things I know I have been needing to do.
- Have more money.
- Be a better person.
- Take more time to cherish what I have.
These 3 resolutions though are intricately tied together and not sure I can accomplish any if I do not accomplish all of them. Well since Nora has come into my life I feel the desire to really make good on resolution number 3. But to do that I need to have resolution #1 come true. Because without that, I do not have time for #3. And if I get time to come through on #3, #2 will just happen because #3 makes me a happier person, which always makes for a better Randy.
Saving money and eliminating financial waste is probably the thing I have most control over when it comes to money. I cannot squeeze any more hours into the day and charging more money goes a little against my business model. I am sure Sharon and I can find ways to stretch dollars.
This way I spend less time working, more quality time with my family living life, and I feel better and become a better person. Which should, by the rule of Kharma help me live better.
I totally believe in Kharma. Not the way that there is someone up there keeping score and rewards us accordingly. But in the more subtle way of good things happen for good people. Much in the way that if someone is going to do something nice for another person, do they choose the jerk of a person, or the person who they think is a good soul?
Take for instance. I was recently out to lunch on New Year’s Eve day, and our server at the restaurant went out of her way to be nice to us. She was extra sweet to Nora despite the fact that we were her last table of her shift and was rushing to get out there. After we finished we were pulling out of the parking lot the same time as her. She went around us to turn out onto the road and but instead turned right into us, her head was somewhere else and not paying close attention.
I honked as her front end was bearing down on my fender. She finally looked up in shock and hit the brakes. But not before hitting our van. The look on her face was of dismay. I got out and saw the dent was tiny. Our van, not the Ark, is already a little older and the body has a few small dings and the paint is faded in many areas. It really was not really a big deal that we had this new ding therefore I told her not to worry as she looked to be on the verge of tears when she realized she had hit my vehicle.
She looked puzzled at first, then I reassured her I was serious about not caring about the ding. Happy New Year I said as I got back in the van and we drove home.
Now a few things went through my head. Did I deserve that dent for something bad I did. I like to think not. I still believe some things are random. Had she been mean to us at all at the restaurant, would I have felt so inclined to just let her off the hook? Probably not. Therefore by being a nice person, she had something in turn nice happen to her. Kharma worked. Not in a mysterious way, but in a very obvious way. Because no one wants to do nice things to a person who is ugly inside. If you have had people ever do good things for you, I bet it stems from your attitude towards them originally. The old saying of what goes around comes around is profound to me.
Now back to beginning the New Year, and ending the old. Thankfully that was at the end of 2012 which overall was a good year in retrospect for us. We bought our first home, our health remained good, my photography business started taking off, we did not lose anyone dear to us, and we are better off than we were in 2011.
2013 started off with a warm sunny morning in which I got to go kayak fishing with a friend and his son. Followed by time at the playground with Nora while Sharon had the dogs over in the dog park section. After that we went out to the beach so I could play a few games of volleyball where it was warm enough that I was able to take my shirt off to play. I won both of my games and played pretty well even though it had been over a month since I last played. We saved money by eating at home. Sharon cooked an awesome pot of vegetable crab soup which was exquisite! Our friend Eric came over to share in the goodness of it. Eventually I gave Nora a bath and we all went to bed and slept well.
Seems 2013 got off to a good start. No failed resolutions…yet :)