A New Year – A New Beginning

There is a new day dawning
Not just a new day — a whole new year!
Masks an accessory of the coronavirus,
Symbolic of the 2020 annus horribilis
This new year 2021 stands before us
like a storybook waiting to be rewritten.

Let us plan to approach this new year with 20-21 vision.
Ready to see clearly, to meet this creative challenge.
Let us not only plan to do things differently but
to make a difference.

This experiment has no expiration date.
If you falter in your dedication,
You have the option of endless renewal.
One is easily defeated when you give up trying.
Strive to be more observant of your surroundings
Look up, down, side to side, and all around.

Strive to be nicer and friendlier,
To smile more, to offer a kind word
Muffled safely behind your mask,
To say a prayer for someone who seems distraught.
Welcome the stranger, offer a warm greeting.
And, if it rains on your parade,
Chase away the dark clouds
And search for sunshine and rainbows.

No need to do anything spectacular.
Concentrate on the ordinary,
for that’s what life is made of.
Practice allows these actions to become second nature.
When we glaze over daily noise and distractions,
We make space to savor the present moment.

When to start? Today, tomorrow, next week?
No need to delay — Start this very minute
Capitalizing on the Power of NOW.
Farewell 2020 — Welcome 2021. 

Picture of Joan M. Lacombe

Joan M. Lacombe

Aiken’s Poet Laureate 2019
Picture of Joan M. Lacombe

Joan M. Lacombe

Aiken’s Poet Laureate 2019

In the know

Related Stories

Bella Book Host: Changing Ways We Consume Literature | Palmetto Bella

Bella Book Host: Changing Ways We Consume Literature

As I have mentioned before, I am a huge fan of Audible. As a mom of two dancers, I spend a lot of time driving and waiting. Audible allows me to access a nearly endless list of audio books from my phone, in the car, in the studio waiting room, and while sewing. For a monthly charge I receive a limited number of credits included in my plan. This month, after realizing I had already used my credits catching up on speculative fiction series involving dragons and talking ships, I evaluated my options. I keep my in-person shopping limited these days, but Amazon had print and Kindle versions available, and

Read More »
The August Bella Book Club Review | The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo | Aiken Bella Magazine

The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell

The August Bella Book Club Review by Nichole Miller Samuel Hill was teased and bullied as a child due to his unique eyes. He was born with ocular albinism, which caused his eyes to appear red. This led to names such as “devil boy,” and Sam Hill became Sam Hell. His only friends were Ernie Cantwell and Mickie Kennedy, and they stuck by his side. Ernie was the only black boy in their Catholic school, and Mickie was known for breaking all the rules. A group of misfits, they showed that compassion and friendship can break all barriers. This book dares to question how many times someone can be told

Read More »
A Return to Art and Music | Palmetto Bella

A Return to Art and Music

An Evening of Art & Music • September 30 • 4:30 – 7:30 pm We, here at Bella, are excited about small scale events coming back to life. Not only have our beloved Bella Buzz pages been empty, but no events have occurred to fill the famous “Scene Around Town” section, leaving the pages of Bella empty of the faces of Aiken. A duo of women, Peggy Penland and Katy Lipscomb, are rallying for indoor/outdoor events featuring music, art, and community to entice us to get out and experience life. And so was born An Evening of Art & Music, scheduled for September 30, 4:30 – 7:30 pm. The past

Read More »
Artist Spotlight | Canaan Peeples Joins Aiken Center for the Arts this Fall | Palmetto Bella

Artist Spotlight | Canaan Peeples Joins Aiken Center for the Arts this Fall

Meet Aiken Center for the Arts’ (ACA) new music instructor, Canaan Peeples. Canaan joins ACA this fall and will be offering individual instruction programs for all skill levels on the guitar, bass, banjo, and mandolin. His experience gives the student the opportunity to choose the genre they want to learn, be it bluegrass, blues, rock, or classical. Canaan is a classically trained guitarist from Barnwell, South Carolina. He was endowed with an amazing talent for adding color to music with emotion and tone. At 30 years old, Canaan has over 25 years of performing and musical experience. He started playing guitar when he was only 3 years old, and his

Read More »