During
this holiday week, here's a reprised edition of "Break It Down!"
This
Issue has been revised from the Break It Down post originally conceived,
created, and published December 29, 2010, and re-posted December 28,
2011, December 31, 2014, December 30, 2015, and December 28, 1016.
This is my first post of 2018, and the 549th Edition
of Break It Down, which debuted August 20, 2007 on the BlogSpot
platform. I migrated the principal site to WordPress August 3, 2012,
approximately three weeks before the Fifth Anniversary of the
blog. You may find this and most other posts at either site.
With
this post I wish you a blessed and bountiful Happy New Year.
Now,
enjoy today’s blog.
The
one-half fortnight between Christmas and New
Year's Days is a unique occurrence in the unfolding of the American version of the Gregorian Calendar. It is the only instance in which the space of a mere
seven days separates two major holidays. Unquestionably, the timing is propitious. Millions of holiday travelers
return home from their Christmas commemoration and revelry, just in time
to get a day off to "celebrate" the New Year...and recuperate from the old, most notably their extracurricular activities, including the exploits of New Year's Eve.
In
last week's post, I presented a re-formatted airing of my personally crafted Christmas Concert
(https://thesphinxofcharlotte.com/2017/12/27/twelve-days-of-christmas-the-e-concert-2017-edition/) from past Noels.
This week, I doubled down and reverted to my trusty time capsule. Once again,
this tack permits new readers to catch-up by seeing the
piece, it allows long-time readers to reflect upon both the passing
year as well as the theme lifted in the post, and finally, it ensures that
those busy readers, with no time to invest in checking
out a new blog during the holidays, will not have to miss
anything. It's a win, win...win!
Since
we are still in the Sweet
Spot
of the holidays, I shall practice
minimalism.
For your purposes, that means the blog should be available,
but not intrusive. To that end, I am taking a page from the
Christmas e-concert, but going a step further. Instead of a concert, I give you
a song…of reflection.
Robert Burns, a Scot, wrote a poem (Auld Lang
Syne) in 1788 that has come to symbolize the spirit of mass
contemplation that people around the world invoke as the clock strikes
midnight, signaling not just the dawn of a new day, but of a new year.
Undoubtedly, you have been somewhere, at sometime, when you joined those
assembled to sing Auld Lang Syne, which loosely translated means, Times gone by.
Once
again, that time is upon us. After thoughtful reflection on my 2017, I
have had no choice but to conclude, my travails have been few and small,
especially when compared to my blessings, which have been both abundant and
vast! All praises to the one true, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient God; a mighty fortress is He.
No
need to thank me for my inherent thoughtfulness. But, by all means, “Drink a
cup of kindness,” or eggnog, or Champagne, or “name your favorite adult beverage,” for me. And, if you are a teetotaler, water will do nicely, thank-you!
As
I complete my first post for 2018, and, prayerfully and faithfully
prepare to reflect upon 2017, I leave with you this familiar Irish Toast:
May
the road rise up to meet you.
May
the wind always be at your back.
May
the sun shine warm upon your face,
And
rains fall soft upon your fields.
And
until we meet again,
May
God hold you in the palm of His hand.
I
invite you to click on the links directly below, which lead to an A cappella and a Jazz
interpretation
of Auld Lang Syne, arranged and performed by the late
Lou Rawls (and listen to the remainder of
this week’s edition of Break It Down):
It
has been my unique honor and privilege to visit with you briefly for each
of the 52 weeks this year. I hope you have derived a fraction of the
pleasure reading the blog posts that I have experienced from preparing and
providing them to you. May 2018 bring you the fulfillment
of all your fondest desires. Happy New Year: Here’s to AuldLang Syne Redux – 2017 Edition!
I’m
done; holla back!
Read
my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com. Find a new post each Wednesday.
To
subscribe, click on Follow in the bottom right hand corner
of my Home Page at http://thesphinxofcharlotte.com; enter your e-mail address in
the designated space, and click on “Sign me up.” Subsequent
editions of “Break It Down” will be mailed to your in-box.
For
more detailed information on a variety of aspects related to this post, consult the links below:
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