New Year's celebrations have always been a let-down for me. The dinner parties my parents sometimes hosted in my childhood -- which ended with us kids sipping cheap champagne, getting tipsy but generic blessings from uncles and aunties, and then spending the first few hours of the new year cleaning up after everyone -- could not hope to satisfy. As I grew older I developed my own tastes; the cheap champagne gave way to gingerale, and the dinner parties to kirtans at the temple, but the whole thing remained profoundly un-profound, undenibaly anticlimactic. I can remember one year when everyone went by the clock in the temple room (which routinely runs about 10 minutes fast) and exploded into loud cheers of "Haribol" -- at 11:50pm. Somehow, New Year's Eve parties have been a flop for me.
With that in mind, Krsangi and I decided to skip the celebrations this year and intentionally ring in 2007 in a low-key way. Since we chose to spend our time blissfully off the radar screen, I thought I'd share some of our weekend here.
On Saturday the 30th, we packed some bags, turned cell phones off and set auto-response on email, and drove off to our "top-secret undisclosed retreat" location, a few hours away. Since it was ekadasi, a day when many Krishna devotees fast from grains and practice other austerities to increase their spiritual practice, we enjoyed a refreshing salad and mashed potato dinner, and chanted some extra rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra on our beads .
The next day, we spent the day (New Year's Eve) in more chanting, having a soy and tofu filled brunch, and taking in some beauty and culture at the local museum. The evening found us at the hometown ISKCON temple, filled with warm and friendly faces (some familiar and others new), sweet kirtans, and a very special darshan of the gorgeous Radha Krishna deities who preside there. Although it was hard to disengage ourselves from the many interesting conversations we kept finding ourselves having, we finally managed to say "goodbye" and break eye contact long enough to make it back to the car and leave.
By the time midnight rolled around, we were again alone (together). We entered 2007 quietly, watching fireworks hit the sky, expressing our gratitude to start another year side-by-side.
New Year's Day -- more chanting, soy prasadam, window shopping, and some New Year's resolutions aided by Steven Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. By nightfall, we were back in New Jersey, renewed and ready to face another year.
Later, I checked my email and saw a message from a close friend who commented about our decision to spend New Year's weekend away from friends and family:
I know you probably won't get this message until you get back from your retreat, I hope you and Krsangi have fun, you guys deserve a break. Although I will truly miss you both at our New Years celebration here. I view New Years as a night you spend with friends and family (in this case our congregation); the atmosphere almost feels like "a new year is coming, we are all starting this new year together and will be a part of eachothers life in this new year." As you and Krsangi both will probably play a significant part in my life this next year, I wish I could spend New Years with you, but I also am glad you are able to get a break.
With that in mind, Krsangi and I decided to skip the celebrations this year and intentionally ring in 2007 in a low-key way. Since we chose to spend our time blissfully off the radar screen, I thought I'd share some of our weekend here.
On Saturday the 30th, we packed some bags, turned cell phones off and set auto-response on email, and drove off to our "top-secret undisclosed retreat" location, a few hours away. Since it was ekadasi, a day when many Krishna devotees fast from grains and practice other austerities to increase their spiritual practice, we enjoyed a refreshing salad and mashed potato dinner, and chanted some extra rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra on our beads .
The next day, we spent the day (New Year's Eve) in more chanting, having a soy and tofu filled brunch, and taking in some beauty and culture at the local museum. The evening found us at the hometown ISKCON temple, filled with warm and friendly faces (some familiar and others new), sweet kirtans, and a very special darshan of the gorgeous Radha Krishna deities who preside there. Although it was hard to disengage ourselves from the many interesting conversations we kept finding ourselves having, we finally managed to say "goodbye" and break eye contact long enough to make it back to the car and leave.
By the time midnight rolled around, we were again alone (together). We entered 2007 quietly, watching fireworks hit the sky, expressing our gratitude to start another year side-by-side.
New Year's Day -- more chanting, soy prasadam, window shopping, and some New Year's resolutions aided by Steven Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. By nightfall, we were back in New Jersey, renewed and ready to face another year.
Later, I checked my email and saw a message from a close friend who commented about our decision to spend New Year's weekend away from friends and family:
I know you probably won't get this message until you get back from your retreat, I hope you and Krsangi have fun, you guys deserve a break. Although I will truly miss you both at our New Years celebration here. I view New Years as a night you spend with friends and family (in this case our congregation); the atmosphere almost feels like "a new year is coming, we are all starting this new year together and will be a part of eachothers life in this new year." As you and Krsangi both will probably play a significant part in my life this next year, I wish I could spend New Years with you, but I also am glad you are able to get a break.
I was humbled by this devotee's genuine appreciation for the association (sanga) of those closest to her, and touched that she counted us within that group. After reading this, a small part of me felt that perhaps we had been a bit selfish in choosing to be alone, that we should have opted to surround ourselves with those who care for us and whom we care for and start the new year off in their company.
At the same time, however, I am grateful that we took the time to re-connect with one another and with ourselves; we both needed it. We want to care for others, but to do that effectively we need to re-energize and renew ourselves. We need to have something worthwhile to give.
I pray that 2007 will be a year when I can work towards being a servant. I would like to be more giving, open, humble, and tolerant. I would like to reach out to others -- not begrudgingly, or mechanically, but in a loving and healthy way. I would like to have something worthwhile to give.
Happy New Year.
.vbd.
At the same time, however, I am grateful that we took the time to re-connect with one another and with ourselves; we both needed it. We want to care for others, but to do that effectively we need to re-energize and renew ourselves. We need to have something worthwhile to give.
I pray that 2007 will be a year when I can work towards being a servant. I would like to be more giving, open, humble, and tolerant. I would like to reach out to others -- not begrudgingly, or mechanically, but in a loving and healthy way. I would like to have something worthwhile to give.
Happy New Year.
.vbd.
2 comments:
how were the cheese-"steak" sandwiches?
:p
haribol, I really enjoyed reading this and I really like all of your other posts also - you may not remember but I met you painting on Prabhupada's palace roof at Kulimela - I'm from England and my sister was in that Ghostbhaktas thing? Haha, anyway I just wanted to say keep up the writing, it's excellent. Also, maybe you would like to check out my blog - www.jahnavi.wordpress.com and my Father, Kripamoya's blog, www.deshika.wordpress.com
Haribol!
Jahnavi
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