“Your heart is not open, so I must go. The spell has been broken, I loved you so. Freedom comes when you learn to let go, creation comes when you learn to say no….”
You’ve heard the song “Power of Goodbye” by Madonna, right? If not, please ‘you-tube’ it or something because it is the soundtrack to today’s post. Will you do that for me? *batting eyelids* pretty please?
The lyrics to this song make so much sense to me, especially now when we are ushering in a brand new year and saying adios to 2011. We are wishing everyone we meet for the first time this year a cheery “Happy New Year!” and forwarding those unimaginative messages full of cheer and good wishes for prosperity and posterity.
Here’s the challenge though; each time you chime the Happy New Year! chorus, do you think about what is actually new, aside from the calendar dates? What are you leaving behind? If you are confidently strolling into the New Year with the same baggage you had last year then the parable of “New wine in old wineskins” was directed towards you! For Pete’s sake, don’t abuse this brand new year by lading it with your old self! Yeah, I said it! (There is ALWAYS room for improvement, tehihii!) It is only a new year if you go into it a ‘new’ person! As my ingenious brother, Jack put it so eloquently; just like swag, the New Year is in YOU!
Madonna sings about the power of goodbye. Saying goodbye to something or someone you are used to and forging into the unknown has never been easy. 2012 is here…still young, still fresh, still smelling so damn good and ever so promising. It is untainted, pure and yet to be corrupted (it is an election year, remember?) With novelty comes hope, second chances and righting of wrongs. So will you go into this brand new year feeling hopeless, not willing to let go of the things that bring you down, and refusing to learn from the mistakes made in 2011? Huh, Will you?
2011 is over and done with! “There’s nothing left to try, there’s no place left to hide, there’s no greater power than the power of goodbye…” The smart thing to do is to let go and move on to become a better, happier person this New Year. Walk away from bad relationships, bad jobs (if you dare), unhealthy lifestyles, unnecessary fears, bad eating habits…did I say bad relationships? Saying goodbye means making a choice to leave behind whatever hinders your progress, and forging a better future. But how many of us have the courage to say goodbye? How many have learnt to say ‘NO’?
Have you learnt from your mistakes? Madonna puts it thus; “…You were my lesson, I had to learn…” can you let go of your heartaches “…I was your fortress, you had to burn…” and painful experiences that you had to endure in 2011? “… Pain is a warning that something’s wrong, I pray to God that it won’t be long…”
“Do you wanna go higher?” she asks
The year is brand new; you have another chance, a do-over. Here is your chance at healthier, better, more fulfilling relationships, a new home, a brand new baby, an overhaul of your 80’s wardrobe and that jaded hairstyle. A new, free, made-over, happier you!
“There’s nothing left to lose, there’s no more heart to bruise, There’s no greater power than the power of goodbye…”
Goodbye 2011, t’was great being with you. We gave you our best, we now have to part ways and take with us the lessons we learnt from you. For what we failed to accomplish, we hope to make up for it this year. You broke our hearts sometimes but we choose to let go of the bruises, the hurt, and the disappointments. Our memories are filled with the joy, the laughter and the good moments we shared together. We have lived and by God, we have grown!
2011 is our past, and the past is the past. If you try to squeeze it into the present, it is labeled as baggage; heavy, unnecessary, obstructive, unattractive baggage. Who wants that?!
“Learn to say goodbye, I yearn to say goodbye…” Madonna answers me with finality. Atta girl!:-)
This New Year you will falter BUT you will hang on; you will fall BUT you will rise up; you will cry BUT you will laugh. Through God’s grace you will live and hopefully, come the end of the year, you will gladly will this year away and impatiently usher in the new one and with it new hope, new dreams new goals and a new you all over again.
Happy New Year, better still, Happy New YOU!
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