Or as my paw paw used to say "Bonne Année, grand nez!"
To this day, every New Year begins the same way...with this silly French saying passed down from my grandfather. He is no longer with us... but the tradition he gave us lives on in our hearts and he is remembered with endearment on each Jaunuary 1st.
And I would say, that isn't that the stuff of life? Not the things that we accumulate or the social status we attain to...but the simple things that cause us to remember one another with joy and tenderness.
I am a strong believer in tradition...not so much because of the tradition itself...but rather because the ritual of performing it memorializes the precious moments that would otherwise be forgotten.
So, that is why each year we put out the Nativity, bake cookies for Santa, dye Easter eggs, and decorate our own birthday cakes. And that is also why we say "Bonne Année, grand nez" and cook cabbage, blackeye peas, and hamhocks.
To me, a new year is more than just a day...it's a reminder that all things will pass away...even me. The gift of another year is a chance to get it right one more time...to strengthen the family ties by tradition and create memories that echo through time...even when those that we love can no longer be heard.
