"In Days Of Auld Lang Syne"

While the day of Christmas is now in the past (albeit a day), let us not forget we are still in the Christmas and holiday season.  We bask in the aftermath and glow of family, friends, dinners, presents and our old and (for some of us) new holiday traditions. Let us not throw all of it aside just yet.  Let's see how long we can make the Christmas spirit last.  As we come out of the hustle and bustle, we still have another holiday coming our way...New Year's Day.  I've been thinking a lot about the New Year, lately.  And the song "Auld Lang Syne" comes to my mind.  I've never really picked up the tradition in singing it, but I think I might have to now that I've been pondering its meaning. We hear it in many holiday films (When Harry Met Sally, It's a Wonderful Life, to name a couple). But, I've been wondering what this song really means to me.

Matt has started a new call with a church in Indiana.  In November, we moved from Colorado to Indiana. It was an exciting adventure and a bit scary at the same time.  We were leaving routines, jobs, friends, favorite restaurants and even a few favorite watering holes.  All the people and places we've known for 6 years. Very hard to leave. (But, we've done it before; going to seminary, moving to Matt's internship site, back to seminary and then to his first call as a pastor).  It was never easy to leave family and friends every time we had to do that. This may have been the hardest because we were in Colorado for the longest period of time. Moving on is difficult, exciting, scary and depressing and just an emotional roller coaster.  So, we are now settling into Indiana. And now we are finding new restaurants, finding a new routine, making more friends.  And while we are making new traditions and meeting new people, all of the things we have left behind in places past (Oregon, Columbus, Nashville and now Colorado) we will never forget.  And that brings the celebratory song we sing during the New Year to my mind.

Auld Lang Syne asks us a question.... "Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?  Should old acquaintance be forgot in days of auld lang syne" (meaning days of old)?  Well, should we?  Should we forget it all?  Then the song goes on and we sing in favor of the old days. "For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne, We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, For auld lang syne!" Maybe the meaning is to sing of the old days and think of them fondly (have a glass to raise to the past) as we move to other things that our lives bring.  This song has definitely been on my mind lately and I'm keeping this song on my heart.

I guess it's a question we all ask ourselves from year to year as we renew our resolutions, kept and "slightly" kept, events that we want to, indeed, forget, or memories that we now cherish everyday.  Some of us will answer the question to the song with a resounding "Yes! I just want to forget this year and all the days of old"...Some of us would say..."Well, some of it is certainly forgettable!" And then I would put myself in the category of answering the song with a "No!".  I want to remember my acquaintances and keep them close to my heart.  I want to remember the blessings throughout and I want to remember the painful times, as we can sometimes find more blessings in the midst of them and really see how we are still standing.  While I don't necessarily want to relive them, I don't think I want to forget them. I do believe that our past somehow shapes us and educates us on how we can choose to move forward.

When midnight comes on January 1st, 2013, I will raise my glass to my old friends and to my new ones, too, to my old routines and to the new ones, to my favorite places and to my new favorite places.  It will all be NOT "forgotten".  I will bring it all to mind. I may have had to move on, but I will not forget.  I will keep hold of my acquaintances (new and from over the years).  I will take a cup of kindness and toast to the old days and look forward to the new days of 2013.  Happy New Year to you all!