Expectations?

It happened again.

It happens every year. Without fail.

But somehow it always still surprises me.

For some reason, I expect that the "new year" should somehow look different from the old year. Kinda like you expect to feel different on your birthday.

But a new year is new for everyone and so it should look different. Sparkles in the air. Twinkling trees. Colorful, bright, shiny and new!

But when I opened the door for the first time in 2010, nothing was different. It didn't even feel different outside. It was still cold, brown, and dead looking.

I know it's a silly thought, but it should be different!

Something ought to have changed.

But year after year, it's always still the same.

I change, I'm different, why can't the new year?

I'm smart. I realize that the calendar year is something that was created by humans to mark the passing of time.

But there's that part of me that really expects the new year to look or feel different!

And birthday's are the same way!

I am officially a year older as of November 7th, but 29 feels exactly like 28 did! I ask my kids on their birthday, "Do you feel older?" And the answer is always no!

So then why in the world do we celebrate new years and birthdays?

We don't feel any different, it looks the same the next day, and it takes a lot of time for any change to happen!

Maybe it makes us feel better to have the celebrations.

Maybe we need to have these "happy" times to make us feel better about time slipping so quickly away.

I haven't found an answer. Not one that I like anyway.

So for the next 363 days I'll write 2010 where it's asked for and I'll put 29 down where I should.

But I'm still looking to find the change.