We made it through 2020.

I woke up today grateful for another day and I got to think of the traditions my family used to do during the New Year dinner. I got to remember those traditions this morning as I sipped my morning coffee.

Picture my grandparent's house in Mexico City with the biggest table to fit the whole family filled with aromatic foods and a cake. There was always a cake. While we arrived in coats and gloves feeling the winter months in the city, the kitchen was always warm. Grandma continued going in the kitchen to bring more food out to the table and her best china was always set up.

My grandmother grew up with all the classes available to become a woman. She had taken all the cooking and baking classes available. She had taken all the etiquette classes too. I remember she'd tell me all the rules she had to follow which she tried to instill in me and I'd always question them.

Why were women supposed to be quiet? Why were women supposed to be the ones setting up the table while the men were in the living room sipping whisky? Why did I have to learn how to sew? - Granted, it's been quite helpful as an adult because I've fixed a button or two.

I digress. Back to the grandparent's house during New Year's Eve.

As the clock would be closer to midnight my aunts and uncles would bring out pieces of luggage as if they were about to travel. Grandma would bring out 12 grapes for each person to eat, and everyone would talk about their new piece of clothing.

Each of the grapes represented one month of the year, so during the countdown, we'd ferociously eat them thinking about one wish per month and we'd live the upcoming year based on those wishes.

The new clothes represented you receiving the New Year with something new so you could continue to bring abundance and prosperity in the upcoming months. Also, in the clothes category, my aunts would wear red underwear to bring love and once they got married, they'd wear yellow underwear to bring in money.

And the luggage, the most ridiculous for me at the time would require adults to run around the block upon midnight to bring in the trip of their dreams 🤦🏽‍♀️

As a child, my cousins and I would laugh at the adults believing these crazy things would come true. Well, for most they did.

As an adult now, I believe it's not so much about eating the grapes or going outside carrying your luggage to make the trip of your dreams come true, or about wearing red underwear to find love. It's about believing these things will come true.

This is why I didn't send this at the beginning of the week, I send this on the first of the year because this is a great day to start envisioning how you want the next year to happen with your own countdown.

While 2020 was really hard for everyone, it was also a year of growth, compassion, and grace.

And to keep the 12 wish tradition, I invite you to take 12 deep breaths and visualize the next upcoming months. If you want to follow the Mexican tradition, eat twelve grapes and think of how you want each of your months to be. Believe it.

May 2021 be the year of health, kindness, and love for all.

~ Pam