Winners

New day. New start. New memories.
New Year. 

I keep dreaming of the picture perfect year.  A year full of sincere Hallmark sayings.  Sunsets as bright as a Georgia O'Keefe painting.  Feeling  the depth of love like it was painted by Klimpt.  Visuals so dramatic that I am almost teary from the radiance.
Technicolor moments.
Tingles up and down my spine from just being alive.
Music sung straight to my soul so clear that the words resonate through me.  Words that are beautiful, mystic and brave.
Moments that continue into eternity.  Happiness and gratitude tattooed into me with ink that only I can see.

 A manta that I can live by. New Years eve. It holds within it all of your dreams and desires.

Alas, those dreams are for the big screen.
 Real life moments often blur into my dream of perfection. Reality is a tough nut to swallow.  Especially when its only the beginning of the New Year.  A brutal kick in the ass that reminds us that the technicolor sunsets may just have to wait until tomorrow. I am able to close my eyes and regain those moments.  They are real to me.  Even touchable as I sink into my moments of clarity.

Happiness is within me.
 I cannot reach to the heavens to achieve.  All will follow if the importance stays deep within my heart. I just have to remember.

Last year we were privileged to be at and involved in a Special Olympic basketball game.  It was Natie's first year playing.  I must say, I felt like Jordan's mom that day.  He looked like a superstar in those flaming converse.  If you keep only one set of memories from 2011 they should include this one.

The teams were on the court. Dressed to the nine's.  Smiles from ear to ear.  This was their moment to shine. This was their New Years eve.

The gym at Brother Rice high school was  full of laughter and immense pride.

Our team is down by one basket with only minutes left.  A young girl (from the opposing team) finally gets a hold of the ball. She is determined. No one will touch that orange sphere but her. For the next 30 seconds it is hers. She begins to dribble.  Her smile becomes blinding.  She is giggling with abundance and we all can taste it. There is not a soul ahead of her.  She is Jordan. This is all hers.

Someone yells out that she is going the wrong way. The teams are all waiting for her on the opposite end of the court. She hears them but she does not care.  She is Jordan.

She was in rare form and the basket was made.  The crowd erupts in excitement.  She was on fire. Her pride radiates the entire court.  (It was funny how no one got mad that she scored for our team.)  The coaches were so proud of her. No one was yelling.  No teammate even noticed.  She tied the score. She was the MVP.  The hero of the game. We were all winners thanks to her.

We were all winners.

Every child that day played their hearts out. Some could barely walk.  But they gave it their all. No one judged.  No one can even remember the score.

We were all winners.

Happy New Year.