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This year my wife and daughters are traveling the weekend of New Year’s Eve. Due to my work, among other things, I’ll be staying home, alone with the dogs. Alone with the bunny. Alone. Lonely.
Instead of scraping together last-minute plans, I’ve decided to weather the storm and spend New Year’s Eve alone. In an attempt to make this time useful, I’m putting together this How-To guide for other lonely dads out there. Here are some tips I’ve come up with, so far:
Watch Weird Shows
So far I’ve watched the last few Harry Potter movies, No Country for Old Men, and a movie called Gold, starring Matthew McConaughey. What’s been great is not the entertainment from these movies; it’s just that I’ve been able to watch whatever felt right at the time – a rare luxury for any family member.
Indulge, But Not Too Much
Oscar Wilde said, “Everything in moderation, including moderation.” This could mean different things to different people. For me, it means eating big delicious meals, sleeping in late, getting a haircut, drinking too much coffee and winding down with good beer. It also means chocolate chip cookie dough. I’m shamefully admitting this last bit to help other dads out there find peace and even joy in their solace.
Do Something for Others
Christmas has just passed, but the spirit of giving lives on, clinging to life desperately into the New Year. Capture the waning spirit by doing something selflessly. I’m going to do a few extra things around the house to surprise the girls when they get home. Nothing extravagant, just something so that everyone can feel good during the homecoming.
Write Something
I haven’t written anything in nearly a year, yet here I am writing this on New Year’s Eve. The reason is that you’ve got the momentum of an entire year behind you—a year of experiences being processed as you face the coming year. The New Year is a creative ghost who visits us all, so what better time to put pen to paper? Maybe it’s a good time to write poetry.
Set Goals
You knew this was coming. What would New Year’s be without some fresh new goals? Make a true moment if it though; light some candles, make a drink, and do some real, old-fashioned thinking about how you want this coming year to reflect everything you’ve learned in years past. I’m no expert on goal-setting, but the resources online are limitless and include this and this.
FaceTime
Just because you’re not with your loved ones does not mean you need to spend midnight in solitude. Don’t be shy about asking to FaceTime at midnight. You may have to settle on kissing your phone’s screen but at least you get that memory to share.
Give Yourself Permission to Get Emotional
Auld Lang Syne – the unofficial NYE song – is a terribly sad song. Listen to it a few times and ask yourself the question it begs, “Should old acquaintance be forgot?” You most likely won’t spend many New Year’s Eves alone in your life, so take advantage of it and really bask in the passage of time between years.
So you’re alone on New Year’s Eve, by choice or not. Doesn’t matter. Forget the stereotypes of loneliness and have yourself a good time. Embrace it, and rest easy knowing you’re not the only one.
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