100 Days Gratitude Challenge 2017 Day #5: Celebrations

Yesterday was a day of Celebrations. In the morning it was the celebration at BNI where the current leadership team celebrated the end of their tenure and handed over the reins to the new leadership team. The meeting was very festive with induction of new members, speeches, awards, gifts, compliments, tributes, smiles, chocolates, goodie bags, balloons, laughter, and photographs.

There were wide smiles of relief on the faces of the outgoing team, they had completed their term with full honours and they were relieved that it was over. The new team was smiling tentatively trying to wrap their head around what was in store for them. Everyone around was happy that something new was happening, There was a sense of suspense and excitement that it could be good for them.

Every ending and every beginning holds a seed of potential for something greater to be born. Endings are good because the next beginning could hold the potential for fantastic new things which we may not have imagined before.

In the evening we celebrated the birthday of a good friend where a surprise party was thrown for him. His family and friends were gathered to celebrate this day and there was high excitement and happiness each time he discovered who has come to wish him. Why do we celebrate birthdays? Is it just an excuse to party or is there something more to it?

The passing of the previous year and bringing in the new year holds a potential for change. We, humans, thrive on hope. We hope that the next year will be even greater than the present one and the birthday holds the promise of this change.

That was the same feeling that the morning celebration held too. 

I'm grateful for the celebrations in my life.

At every point of change when the old dies and the new is born, the human spirit rises with hope to look forward to what is in store for them. It’s a new voyage. A new journey of discovery where something magnificent could be found and this yearning pours out in joy when we celebrate an event of change. Whether it is a birthday, a wedding, a change of leadership, a death, each of these represent change from status quo to a new potential where something different will come along and raise us to new heights of happiness.

Yes, even death is a cause for celebration – for a life well-lived, a person well-loved who is moving from one form to another but still eternal in us and outside us.  It’s one of the most significant and inevitable change that we all must experience.

Live this moment with full vigor so when that change comes you go out with a smile or better still a loud laugh.