As a child, I can remember my mother, grandmother and other elders using the phrase, "Once in a blue moon." Although I had no real concept of what a 'blue moon' was, I was able to discern that it meant something would happen 'not very often', to put it in the phraseology of a child. Throughout my growing and aging years, I'm certain I've uttered the phrase myself, usually (or always) with a sarcastic tinge to my voice. In today's vernacular, we might be heard to say, "I'll believe it when I see it.", or young people might say, "like that will ever happen" or, "riiight". (Misspelling intentional)
My newspaper, from this morning, has an article by Associated Press journalist, Alicia Change, entitled, "Rare New Year's Eve 'blue moon' to ring in 2010". The piece goes on to explain just what a blue moon is....two full moons in one month..... a rare occurrence and even rarer to happen on New Year's Eve, with the last New Year's Eve blue moon occurring in 1990 and, after this year's, the next one won't come until 2028.
This made me think of happenings/events/actions that will probably occur only 'once in a blue moon', but I wish could occur more frequently. With the New Year approaching, each of us may have a list of wishes that we will have formulated......call the items on the list wishes, promises, resolutions........whatever.
What is it about this time of year that makes us look both forward and backward? The need and desire to start afresh is strong but so is the proclivity to take a gander in reverse. Does reverse-viewing, I'll call it, serve any purpose?
As I take this day to clean, organize, and dust away, I'll be spending some time pondering my own ponderings. I'm sure that after I've analyzed my year in 'reverse', my neck will feel like Linda Blair's in the movie, "The Exorcist" and I will need to make an appointment with my favorite 'bone cruncher'.
If any readers have wisdom learned from 2009 that you would care to share, please send it my way and I'll pass it on! I think I'll be in short, personal supply.
Ancora imparo
