Tuesday, January 3, 2012

The New Year is off to a great start!

New Year's Eve was so much FUN!  Mike and I were the guests of some friends who "play," as we say in Vegas, at the Hilton. They invited us to the party the Hilton puts on for their VIPs and they were even able to get us a room. Sweeeeeeeet!

I told you about these friends before.  Several months ago I struck up a conversation with a nice man named Al in my neighborhood Starbucks.  The next time I saw him, I gave him four passes to see my comedy set at Alexis Park.  Well, ever since then Al and his wife, Pat, and Pat's cousin Richard and his wife, Jeanette, have come to be our new best friends.  They're all between 69 and 80 and they're a freakin' blast.  Seriously, they're younger than most people half their ages.


Anyway, the Hilton put on an amazing party.  There were probably a couple of thousand people in the ballroom, which was decorated beautifully.  A sit down dinner, dessert, open bar... who could ask for anything more?  We sat near the main dance floor surrounding the band in the middle of the ballroom; there were two smaller dance floors at either end of the room.  The music was perfect for the event, appealing to everyone, and we all danced our asses off.

Midnight was magical. As the band played "Auld Lang Syne," my heart brimmed with feelings of love for my new husband, the joy of sharing fun times with new friends, gratitude for their generosity, and hope that the year ahead will be filled with peace and good health.

Afterward we went up to our friends' friends' suite on the 29th floor with a balcony that overlooked the Strip.  I stood there and had yet another "pinch me" moment (they happen quite frequently).  My life is blessed, to be sure, but the reality is we wouldn't have been there had I not smiled at a stranger in a coffee shop.

Every encounter you have with another human being is an opportunity to create some magic.  Why not reach out to someone today?  Try to catch a stranger’s eye and then smile as if you’re having the best day ever.  I guarantee the person will smile back.  There’s your initial connection. 

Sometimes the person will take the next step and start some small talk; if not, you can take the lead.  Instead of asking, “How are you today?” say something they wouldn’t expect like, “Are you having a great day?”   They’ll be taken aback by your enthusiasm and are sure to respond positively.  And if not, well… maybe they’re simply not the type of connection you want to make.  Or maybe a positive person like you is exactly what they need.

One thing I'm going to do this year--a resolution, if you will--is to write in my calendar book the names of every person I meet.   Each encounter is a gift, if we're willing to accept it.  I'm sure glad I accepted the gift the universe sent me when I met Al in Starbucks! 

7 comments:

Mimi said...

Linda, you're amazing!
All that you say here is true, inspirational. It's so lovely to read this post!

Mimi said...

and I love that they're aged between 69 and 80 and a freakin' blast!
way to go!

Julie D said...

Happy New Year, my dear friend. So happy to see you so happy....(and me too!)....here's to an even more fantastic 2012 for us both!

Cheers! Love you!

Taradharma said...

great post - full of love and inspiration! I, too, have found often times that older folks are very young at heart -- wise enough to know that life is GREAT and not to be wasted. They have thrown off the shackles of youth: self-consciousness to the extreme being one of the biggest.

Happy New Year, darlin!

Liz said...

I've been offline but wanted to tell you Happy New Year!! Your evening sounded like the opposite of mine but mine was great too! I think I'll blog about it since you are so inspirational.

I raise a glass (of beer) to toast you and Mike. I hope you both have a 2012 that is wonderful in every way.

Tender Heart Bear said...

That is how I have felt the last two years spending New Years with my boyfriend. It just seems every year gets better and better for me. He is my best friend and always will be.

This year is was just him and I for New Years and it was the best one for me. We just stayed home and listened to music and played card games. I couldn't ask for a better New Year than with him.

Lori Biker said...

Since I read this, I have again been thinking about all the people we met on our cross country trips! Everywhere we went, people wanted us to stay longer! We were lucky to have so many opportunities on the road, and every day I am sooooo lucky that you are my sister! Here's to another great year of fun and adventures!