Auld Lang Syne ...

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days o’ lang syne!

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

I always think back to the movie when Harry Met Sally, when the stroke of midnight is counted down, and the song Auld Lang Syne plays and Harry and Sally kiss... and after he says "What does this song mean? My whole life, I don't know what this song means. I mean, 'Should old acquaintance be forgot'? Does that mean that we should forget old acquaintances, or does it mean if we happened to forget them, we should remember them, which is not possible because we already forgot?" 

Sally: Well, maybe it just means that we should remember that we forgot them or something. Anyway, it's about old friends."  

But it makes me wonder,  should old acquaintances be forgot?  Or is song suggesting that if you run into someone from your past, someone you thought you left in the past, to raise a cup of kindness, and wish them well.  Think of them fondly, remember the good times... the good times of Auld Lang Syne.  I think it's about remembering with fondness the good times you had with old friends, but not needing to relive the past - to be perfectly happy and content with the present moment.

This weekend was a big weekend for New England sports... mainly football.  I actually never even paid attention to the games, and to tell you the truth, if it weren't for Facebook, couldn't even tell you who won.  What a difference from my life "B.D." (Before Divorce).  I jest that my divorce decree states that I am no longer obligated to watch any sporting event.

Now don't get me wrong.... it's not that I don't like sports.  In fact... Auld Lang Syne... I used to love to have people over - make hot wings, chili, and nachos for all our friends.  My house was loud, alive, and full of energy and excitement.  I loved being praised for my cooking, my hospitality, and yes, having a 52" LCD TV with surround sound was a plus.  I liked over hearing my husbands friends tell my husband how lucky he was to have such a "cool wife"... I even enjoyed the game.... even though to this day I do not understand one thing about football.  But I loved sitting on the edge of our seats, wearing our pro-football jerseys (of a number of someone I didn't even know)... with paint on our faces, booze in our hands, and hope in our hearts - cheering on OUR team.  And when OUR team won - yelling with excitement, jumping up and down, giving high-fives and sloshing beer about the room as if WE had actually been on the field and scored the winning touch down ourselves.  Yes, us lazy-boy athletes with our nacho-cheese stained fingers and beer drenched jerseys were WINNERS.

Auld Lang Syne.... those days are gone.  Some of my friends ask me to football game parties, or ask why I don't host them anymore.  Truthfully, if I really wanted to feel included in the festivities and joviality I could always go down to the local brew pub and watch the game, but I feel happy and content that the days of football parties and being the "hostess with the mostess" are behind me... and I smile fondly when I think of them, but I have to say, I am so content to sit here, quietly, with a cup of hot tea, a warm quilt, and a good book.   We'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne - Cheers sports fans =)