The In-between Days

Christmas can officially be seen making tracks in the rear view mirror and 2014 is still a few days away. Right now we're nestled in that purgatory state of the calendar as we stow away our Christmas sweaters and think of the resolutions we might start writing. I call these the 'In-between Days.' A brief and fleeting window of opportunity when we can make one final mad dash to do something epic before the calendar turns to a new picture. A time when we consciously make an effort to move forward with things we wish we would have done. We stop waiting.

Living with regret is a haunting feeling because there's always a sense of loss. That disquieting pang gnawing at our insides because we were afraid to do something. I see it in the eyes of our residents and in the hushed whispered when they recall a missed opportunity that escaped their grasp long ago. But regret is not limited to the homeless.

Too often we wait until January 1st to set things in motion. We take this week prior to New Years and shift into cruise control while we stare at the impending Resolution-Apocalypse. We drum our fingers and think pensively about how we are going to better our lives in just a few days. But why wait? Don't let these days slip away if you have something weighing on you. Do you need to make a phone call (INSTEAD of texting)? Is there a letter to be written or a conversation to be had? Don't wait.

Soon enough the in-between days will melt away and the rigors and routine of the new year will be upon us. And I would hate to think of anyone wasting these days waiting for an appointed time to effect change.