December 31: Digression Business, New Year's Eve, End of Year Prayer

"Oh, I don't know.  That digression business got on my nerves.  I don't know.  The trouble with me is, I like it when somebody digresses.  It's more interesting and all."

Holden admits to Mr. Antolini that he likes digressions.  Holden is more interested in small, inconsequential details.  Or perhaps he recognizes that the small, inconsequential details really contain the important things in life.  The only real way to know a person is to find out what he ate for breakfast, what grade he got in high school chemistry, or what Santa gave him for Christmas when he was eight years old.  Life is one big digression.

It is New Year's Eve.  A big, momentous day when we look back and look forward.  We think about the successes and failures of the past year.  We think about the possibilities and impossibilities of the coming year.  I have a lot of big disappointments I could dwell on this evening.  Personal and professional.  The year 2013 has not been kind to me.  I have a lot of empty pages I could dwell on this evening, as well.  The year 2014 holds much uncertainty for me.

However, I'm not going to focus on these big things.  I'm going to say an end of year prayer for digressions.

Dear Lord of Digressions,

I want to thank You for the peanut butter ball I ate this morning.  And the five dollar bill that currently resides in my pocket.  Thank You for Julia Roberts film festivals, all of that sentimentality and weeping.

When I went home this evening, the furnace was just kicking on.  As I sat down to read a late Christmas card from a friend in Washington state, I felt the heat on my feet, and it was good.  Thank You for that.

I am going to be playing games tonight with my family.  Pictionary.  Dictionary Dabble.  Sniglets.  We will laugh and argue and call each other names.  We will eat Wheat Thins and Cheetos and M&Ms.   At midnight, we will put on hats and blow horns, hug and kiss, wish each other "Happy New Year!"  And we will gather around the piano and sing "Auld Lang Syne."  It will be good.  Thank You for that.

Most of all, thank You for all the digressions to come in 2014.  Breakfasts with friends.  Prayers with my kids.  Trips (short and long).  Mornings with pink sunlight.  Evenings with purple clouds.  Long winter nights.  Longer summer days.  Cool autumn afternoons.  Hot chocolate mixed with Bailey's Irish Cream.  Churches lit by candlelight.

Thank You, Lord, for all these small digressions.

For it's in these digressions I find Your love.

Your loving child,

Saint Marty

Small blessings, small changes