Out with the "Old"

I spent the first hours of 2013 where every sane old person would-asleep in bed!The rest of the day was uneventful,although I broke my dad's cardinal rule of not spending money on the first day of the year.I went shopping-again,it was just grocery shopping,not the frivolous "Oh,it's on sale and I gotta buy it!" kind.
My older son confessed that he liked 2012 better.I think the fact that he went to France,and then met all is relatives in India made it seem like that was his best year ever.
But a new year holds so much promise.Not just because it is the beginning of a new 365 days,but because we have in a way been conditioned to reassess our life and make resolutions that we supposedly will uphold the rest of the year.
Frankly,what begins anew with the new year?For school going children it is not the beginning -they have been in school four months already.People at work maybe see some changes at the workplace regarding some regulations,or change in their paychecks effective January 1.But it probably is the same work place,the same colleagues,the same water cooler,cafeteria.....And for stay-at-home moms like me,it is just another day and probably one which we hope will go by quickly and get us to the day school reopens,because,frankly the kids staying home and using their tech gear non-stop is driving us crazy!!So,the fact that we celebrate a NewYear basically means that we recalibrate our inner calendars.
But I am sure all of us resolve to do something for the New Year.It could be something small or something big-but something.
I once met a lady at an election rally and I emailed her a photograph from the rally.She responded  and her email closed with a very different sentiment-it went,"Wishing you peace,contentment and joy."Novel ,but very thought provoking.
So,my wish for everyone and myself  for this year is exactly that:peace,contentment and joy.
All the wars in the world,all the strife is supposedly for peace-but how do we attain peace?I think that it has to do with contentment -the more contented we are ,the more at peace we are-I think this works both for individuals and the world at large.But contentment is contentious in its own way-how can one be contented?What is contentment for me might still be paucity for someone else-there is no standard for that, is there?
It is very difficult to convince anyone that three square meals a day,clothes on your back and a roof over your head actually is sufficient.I wouldn't be contented with that either!A good meal means what?A six course gourmet meal?Or just the basics?What is a good definition for 'clothes on your back'-Saks Fifth Avenue or Cherokee or maybe stuff from Goodwill?And a roof over your head?With a three car garage and a pool right?See my point?
Something like Sandy Hook delivers that punch that makes you reassess your life and wonder-all that struggle and for what?Life can disappear in a trice and here we are on the hamster wheel of day to day life paddling away like crazy!
Contentment bubbles from the realisation that you have what you need,and as much as you can have more,you don't really any need more.But the consuming frenzy we seem to be on says otherwise.Valentine's day stuff is out already in stores and we are back where we began!
Contentment is more mental than physical,I think.I read a 'Dear Abby' column today and someone had written about a pan handling couple refusing to take groceries from the sympathetic person who had no cash,but a bagful of food,instead suggesting the poor guy go to the ATM and get them cash because they preferred to purchase their own groceries!Contentment in groceries hand picked by yourself with somebody else's money!
Peer pressure I guess does not stop acting once you are out of school-it goes on your entire life-which is why we are on this crazy search for the perfect couch and matching tables and area rug and lamps and .....oh,I forgot the paintings on the wall-they need to match my decor!!
At the expense of sounding like a Schoolmarm(come to think of it,that IS my day job!),I think we need to will ourselves to be contented-an enormous undertaking I know.And contentment brings this sense of peace which leads to joy and the ability to appreciate life and all it has to offer.
My long term goal is to settle down in my native village in the southern coast of India-in a tiny house built in the middle of a coconut grove,where the song of the sea lulls you to sleep and the sun wakes you up.The beach is a minute's walk away and you get all the  fish you can eat literally fresh off the boat.The bus service is sporadic-once an hour I think,connecting this village to the nearest town.There are no stores to speak of-unless you count the minuscule bunk store selling candy and sundry.No TV(oh,that is because I would like it that way-the proliferation of technology is ubiquitous and you can run but not hide from it),maybe a radio,a telephone just to keep in touch and scores of books,millions-well that defeats the happy with what we have theory-so I will settle for  scores of books,a kitchen to cook all that yummy fish in, a bed to sleep in, a decent bathroom.......I'm good.
But in the meanwhile,here I am, aspiring to be contented while worrying about a million things-some trivial,some worth worrying about, finding that peace and joy are but a hair's breadth away from contentment-but requiring herculean effort to bridge the gap.
So my New Year resolution-analyse happenings and find out if it is worth losing sleep over,categorize accordingly,worry about the ones worth worrying,and let go of the rest.Easier said than done!!
I will keep you posted.