January 3: New Year's Resolutions, Li-Young Lee, "Eating Together"

I gave up on New Year's resolutions quite a while ago.  I learned that resolving on January 1st to lose weight or publish more or declutter my house wasn't going to make me look like Brad Pitt or win me a Pulitzer Prize or allow me to live in a Better Homes and Gardens mansion.  Nope, New Year's resolutions are, basically, set-ups for failure.

Instead, on December 31st, I always say the same thing to myself:  "I have a beautiful family, good health, a roof over my head, food in the fridge, a couple decent jobs, and good friends.  I'm going to try to keep it that way."

Yesterday, I went out to lunch with my family.  We ate together.  Laughed together.  Last night, I got together with some poet friends.  We talked about writing.  Shared some of our work.  Ate together.  Laughter together.  Hugged each other.

Saint Marty's year is off to a pretty good start.

Eating Together

by:  Li-Young Lee

In the steamer is the trout   

seasoned with slivers of ginger,

two sprigs of green onion, and sesame oil.   

We shall eat it with rice for lunch,   

brothers, sister, my mother who will   

taste the sweetest meat of the head,   

holding it between her fingers   

deftly, the way my father did   

weeks ago. Then he lay down   

to sleep like a snow-covered road   

winding through pines older than him,   

without any travelers, and lonely for no one.