Good Riddance

Since 2006, a group of people have celebrated an important event around the New Year. It’s called “Good Riddance Day.” Participants gather and write down unpleasant, painful or embarrassing memories from the past year and toss them into an industrial-strength shredder. How’s that for “good riddance?” And if an industrial-strength shredder isn’t good enough, you can also choose the option of taking that cell phone, television or possibly even that laptop that you’re ready to let go of and donning a pair of safety glasses and taking a sledgehammer to them. People choose that option, as well.

So where did this idea come from? The U.S. event is actually based on a Latin American tradition in which New Year’s revelers stuffed dolls with objects representing bad memories before setting them on fire. honestly, the ideas of lighting dolls on fire creeps me out. Kind of glad we moved away from that one;)

Guess it’s no surprise that, since beginning in 2006, the number of participants has grown with every New Year. One of the organizers shared the following observation: “It really is this need we have, even when the world is crazy, to say, ‘You know what? I’m going to let go of the things that have been dragging me down and going to look forward with a sense of hope and the possibility of change. Either for myself personally or the world.’ So this is a chance to detox in a big way.”

There’s certainly something to be said about letting go of what was to take hold of what will be. I’ve always loved Isaiah 43:18-19. “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

What do you need to say good riddance to? What do you need to let go of to take hold of the “new thing” God has ready to give to you? Those are good questions to ask.

As we begin a new year, may we approach it all with open hands ready to meet God in the present and trust Him in the what will be.