Worth Keeping

The passing of the old year into the new year has always fascinated me.  The thought that it can be 2007 one second and 2008 the next--well, something about that seems nearly mystical. 

I was so amazed by this phenomenon that in 1984, shortly before midnight, I took an old pickle jar and scooped it through the air around me.  Then I slammed the lid shut, screwed it on tightly, and wound yards of masking tape around the neck.  I held in my hands The Year Of Our Lord Nineteen Eighty Four, hermetically sealed for all time.  I suppose my 12th year had been a good one, and I thought the day might come when I'd need to go back and sniff it. 

I had a very large closet in my girlhood home, the sort of closet where random keepsakes like fire batons and homecoming corsages and jarred air could multiply at will.  The air of 1984 gradually became buried under other equally sentimental notions, and it wouldn't resurface again until shortly before my wedding, in 1994.  I was sorting through some old keepsakes, and the old jar rolled out of its place. 

I looked at it for a few moments and thought of 1984.  I thought of Final Net hairspray and orthodontia and President Reagan and Square Pegs.  Smiling at my youthful sentimentality (since I was, by then, a wise old woman of 21), I ripped off the seal and took a sniff.  As it turns out, 1984 smelled a lot like pickles. 

There's not really any point to this story, except to laugh and acknowledge that the passing of the year is momentous for those of us with sentimental tendencies.  Here's wishing you many good things (and even better non-things) in 2008.  I pray it's a year so wonderful that you want to stick it in a jar for all time.

Happy new year, friends.

Comments

[jen]

What a great story..and yes I'm laughing...pickles...me and my 2 year old son are eating dill pickle chips right now.....Happy new Year Shannon....I have thoroughly enjoyed reading you this year.

[Suz]

Happy New Year to you. Thanks for all the laughs, insite and tips through this year. Looking forward to more...
Suzanne

[Melissa]

"Here's wishing you many good things (and even better non-things) in 2008. I pray it's a year so wonderful that you want to stick it in a jar for all time."

From your lips to God's ears. Happy New Year!

[jubilee]

Happy New Year! Reading your blog day after day certainly has helped to brighten my year. You go girl, we're right behind you!

[chickadee]

i bet if we sniffed back in time a lot of years would smell like pickles.

here's hoping the best for you too!

[World's Greatest Mommy]

What a beautiful story. Happy New Year!

[pj]

Love the Jarred air!!! Life holds moment like that -- when we just want to bottle the moment, the magic, the memory and hold it for all time. Back at you: "I pray it's a year so wonderful that you want to stick it in a jar for all time!"

[momhuebert]

So 1984 smelled like pickles....? I laughed so hard! Thanks!

[Keara]

Great post! Love it!

[Anna]

What a cute story. I am definitely one of those with sentimental tendencies. Happy New Year!

[Fresh Girl]

I'm pretty sure if I were to capture the air from 2007 in a jar and open it ten years later, it would smell something like rotten eggs rolled in baby powder.

It's been a year of ups and downs to say the least! ;)

[Big Mama]

Happy New Year!

[Cindy]

Shannon, thanks so much for always making me laugh! Wishing you and your family a wonderful 2008!

[Dee/reddirtramblings]

The story was inspired. Thanks. The idea that 1984 smelled like pickles was delightful. Happy New Year to you too. Oh, and God's blessings be upon you.

[Melanie]

Since she was about three, my daughter has said that her sweaty feet smell like pickles. So for us, 1984 would smell like feet.
Happy New Year, Shannon!

[Linda at 2nd cup]

You need to publish this in a magazine. It's really good.

[dcrmom]

LOL. Happy New Year!

[Laura]

Since I was a much wiser 14 year old, I was using Aqua Net, hot rollers, and entering the world of high school. Aww, good years of the Reagans and just say no to drug campaigns. Memories.....the years of big haired metal bands and Wham and Duran Duran. It was really a decade around hair, wasn't it.
Laura

[Kasi @ ReynoldsRap]

I was just singing the theme song to Square Pegs to DH 2 days ago! He thought(thinks) I was crazy!

I didn't realize that it was only on the air for one season.

Happy New Year

[Jennifer in OR]

Happy New Year and wishing you many blessings for 2008!

[Flat Betty]

HA! Great story! Happy New year!!!!!

[JanMary, N Ireland]

1084 smelled of pickles - rofl

[Fiddledeedee (It Coulda Been Worse)]

You could have kept it and sold it on e-bay you know.

This is coming from a gal who still has her old Cheech and Chong LPs from 1977.

Happy New Year, Shannon.

[Praise and Coffee]

LOL!
That is great!

Happy New Year,
Sue

[Melissa Markham]

What a fun story! And Fiddledeedee is right...you could have sold that jar on Ebay....probably would go for big bucks!

I used to always send down and read all of my journals from years past in the wanning days of the year. But time for that retrospective sentimentality doesn't exist anymore.