December
31st was the coldest New Year’s Eve in New York since 1962; the high was 21 and
low 9 degrees. My husband, children, dog, and I were wrapped in fleece and
flannel inside our house, the thermostat at 70. It was a quiet evening. We were
supposed to have a party, but the families who were supposed to come over had
sick children, so it ended up being family night. The kids complained at first
and Emerson used the word that aggravates all parents and teachers: boring. We
quickly overcame that and played Monopoly, ate black-eyed pea curry and coconut curried collard greens and kale (recipe links included),
indulged in pumpkin pie and chocolate, and drew out our resolutions as we do
every year. Below are the pictures of what we drew:
Denise’s
Resolutions
- In the center is Om. It represents that I want to practice yoga regularly, attending classes at least 3 times a week at North Star Yoga and all the other days of the week in my attic. I also want to meditate more and connect with the universe in selfless ways. Om also signifies harmony and oneness, and I want to embody these states in all aspects of life.
- One of the most endearing presents I received this Christmas is a Strand tote bag that reads: Make America Read Again. What a witty and true mantra. Reading is fundamental to humanity, and in order for our country to become better, we must actively engage in reading, thinking, learning, and acting. Every book I read gives me new perspectives on life, and I am excited about another year of reading. I want to continue reading new young adult fiction. Right now I am reading American Street by Ibi Zoboi, a young, Haitian-American writer. After this, I plan on taking a break from that genre and reading a novel book by James Baldwin, Olio by Tyehimba Jess, Ordinary Light by Tracy K. Smith, Jenny Zhang’s Sour Heart, and Moth Smoke by Mohsin Hamid.
- I want to continue writing at least one blog post a week for the rest of sabbatical.
- One minor chronic condition I have is wanderlust. My favorite section of the NYTimes is the Travel section. I get to visit remote places that I do not have the time nor money to visit. However, I want to broaden my boundaries by visiting new places this year. Having a dog forces me to change my expectations for travel. I am excited about taking some road trips. More than anything, I want to see more of the United States, my homeland and place of birth, a vast expanse of nature, a land of flagrant extremes of triumph and oppression. Places I want to visit: Pittsburgh, Blue Ridge Mountains, Assateague Island, the Adirondacks, and the Great Lakes region.
- The fifth part of my resolution map is having fun with family and friends. This includes going to restaurants, shows, museums, parks, beaches, etc. Hanging out often seems like a rare luxury in life. I want to indulge in this area more.
Resolutions
of Emerson, my 8-year old son
He wants to practice soccer more. With new indoor foam and hover
balls, he can practice at home throughout the winter. Since he continues to
play on Cedar Soccer Stars, he has practice twice a week. His dedication and
passion for the sport is inspiring. He has helped me be more active throughout
the holiday break by playing soccer with me in the attic.
Emerson also wants to eat healthier, say no to cakes and soda and
yes to carrots and broccoli. On the last panel is: do not to play around and
listen more in school and to curse less in general. For him to say that, it
must mean Sean and I should also curse less.
I love that Emerson independently chose these as his resolutions;
he’s really developing a sense of personal growth and responsibility.
Resolutions
of my 10-year Old Daughter, Jacinta
Jacinta also wants to eat healthier. She has an intense sweet
tooth inherited from my side of the family, and so she plans on eating fewer
sweets and more vegetables. She also plans on drawing more. She was very
meticulous with these drawings and worked on them for several hours.
She also wants to spend less money yet spend a lot of time with
friends. Finally, Jacinta wants to read, ride, and play with our dog, Sirius.
Looking back at another year in my daughter’s life, I am amazed at
her generous and fun-loving spirit and sensible nature. I look forward to going
on several family bike rides this year; this could be part of our traveling
together.
My
Husband Sean’s Resolution:
His drawing is based on a photo he
took on his phone in Snug Harbor as he walked the dog in the frigid morning. The
moment has many symbolic meanings including how the dog brings nature and human
together. In Sean’s journal entry about this, he wrote how the dog reminds him
of a few essentials in life:
“Connect with the wild. Be
one with nature. Stay receptive to your surroundings and in touch with what the
earth needs.”
With that, I finish this post to get
ready to put my layers on and take our dog outside the warm walls of our home.
With that, I finish this post to get ready to put my layers on and take our dog outside the warm walls of our home.
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