I am the Universe and the Universe is Me- Happy New Year!

Apparently, each and every one of us contain the Universe within us; the minerals that make us up are created only in the cores of dying stars, the law of conservation of matter tells us that we are made up of the same particles as the brightest planets, the comets that dance through galaxies. The water that courses through our bodies flowed through the Ice Age glaciers, through the dinosaurs and other creatures long extinct... There is a Hindu myth about Lord Krishna who opens his mouth and shows his mother, Yashoda Maiya, the whole Universe inside. I read a story about a girl who said she writes a letter to the Universe every New Year's Eve. Why do we make such a big deal about this date? After all, isn't it just  another "X" on the calendar, another convenient human invention?  I think it is our fascination with numbers, our craving to compartmentalize and file the various parts of our lives in order to process them that makes us reassess the finality of the New Year and brings us closer to the realization of the Universe within us. I've changed a lot this year. I've learned the power of own voice, I've become more unapologetic and more willing to speak up for what I believe in, and I've learned to appreciate the people in my life more. I've consciously challenged my prejudices and become a kinder, more understanding and empathetic person. I'm starting to realize that "done is sometimes better than perfect," as my middle school counselor would say, that the little things I fret about aren't nearly as huge as I think they are. I've come to better terms with the idea that I am growing and evolving just as the world around me changes, and that's okay, it's okay to pursue different avenues and be happy in things I hadn't dreamed of before. I've learned to love myself, and through others, I've come to the realization that I must love my body, as well, because it is the only body I get- something I want to be more aware about in the New Year. Most of all, I'm ready to take the New Year by the reins, to be proud of the things I have already accomplished but also to go confidently in the direction of my dreams. I'm ready to be fueled by positive energies, to stop limiting myself, and to be more. I hold the Universe within me and so do you; we are limitless, powerful, magical, and capable of things we could never imagine. And I'm ready to chase those things into the New Year.