This first weekend of the new year is a gift to be opened

A weekend at the front end of a new year
is one last Christmas present.
It allows for a running start at a fresh start.
It’s gives us a chance
to dance with a few more lazy days
before we must embrace
a week of work that just won’t wait.
It’s a holiday after a holy day
providing us a just cause
for thoughtful pause
as we contemplate
what’s lies ahead
as well as the ups and downs
of a year now dead.
It’s a time to mourn.
It’s a time to give thanks.
It’s a time to refocus some goals
(and to watch some being kicked on the gridiron).
It’s a time to resolve problems
and resolve to do better.
Better yet, it’s a time to start over
brand new.