Clear Your Plate for 2012

After dinner, my husband turned to our 10 year-old daughter, who sat at his left elbow, and said, "Clear your plate and clear mine."

The child replied, "Yes, sir," and lifted her plate from the place-mat. She paused. Her brow furrowed and her nose crinkled. She looked at her father and asked, "Clear your plate, clear your mind? What?"

"Ooooh, I like that," I cooed.

"Clear your plate, clear mine," clarified my husband.

"Clear plate, clear mind," I repeated. "There's something to that. It's so true."

My beloved's brow furrowed. "We're talking about taking dishes off of the table," he firmly redirected.

Sweetly, our daughter, unscathed by the philosophical rumblings beneath the after dinner clean-up, said, "I'll yours next, Mama."

"Thank you," I said to her. Then to my soul mate, "I know exactly what we're talking about here."

It's time to get ready for 2012. Out with the old and in with the new. What's on your plate, or your entire table, that's holding you back from facing the new year with anticipation?

Clear it so you can start 2012 ready to accept its possibilities.