The days of counting down for Christmas have ended, but that expression got my thoughts to spinning on how many things we count down for.
Have you ever thought about that? If you haven’t, then please humor me and read on.
A young child will count down when it’s close to time for a birthday party. His or her friends and cousins will be there, and there will be presents and games and cake. Even the arrival of the actual birthday doesn’t put an end to the counting, oh no! It just goes from minutes to seconds.
The sweet thing about a child is he enjoys thinking happy thoughts. As the last friend gets into his car to leave and those little hands keep waving until out of sight, that birthday child will look up into your eyes with the sweetest smile and say, “Thank you for my birthday party. It was so much fun! Next year, we can do it again?” And, in his little mind, the countdown has begun.
What about the space flights? How many times in your life have you stood around the television in your classroom or at home and counted down the biggest adrenaline rush ever? Whether it was the very first launch or the most recent, the countdown to the words “lift-off” is the most anticipated moment in time. It never gets old. Is it the countdown itself? Would it be exciting if there were no countdown? Do the words “lift-off” give it the adrenaline rush? I think all of it together is what builds the excitement. A rocket going off into space could be all that was needed. What would the results be with a silent launch? Think about that, if you would. Without a countdown, I just don’t think it would be the same adrenaline rush.
As I?write this, our worldwide countdown that brings the transition from one year to the next is almost here. The television coverage is nonstop across the states. Excitement is high, there are celebrity hosts and co-hosts and music and movies, and the list goes on and on. There are families who make it a yearly tradition to be together to welcome in the New Year.
Church families will welcome in the New Year by singing hymns and being thankful for all the blessings from the year before. When the countdown has ended, the New Year is brought in with a prayer. I can’t think of a better way to do it.
Whether you are a part of a group or alone and are still awake, you will be a part of that famous countdown: Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one – Happy New Year!
Why is the beginning of every year started like this? Well, I have my take on this. It’s simply because....It’s the American Way!
Thank you to all my friends, old and new that I have met while having the opportunity to do what I enjoy because of the Franklin Free Press. I’d like to give a big thank you to Mike Self for all of your support and help. If I don’t run out of things to talk about (yeah, I know, that will not happen), I will be back next year.
So happy New Year! May 2019 be your best one yet!
