Golden Ticket Year

For New Year's Eve, we always join another family we know and ring in the new year with a houseful of our offspring. Between the two families, there are always at least eight kids in attendance, and more if friends are invited. We do the typical eating and laughing and story telling.

Shortly before the ball drops, we gather the kids and parents all into one room and have a time of reflection. Through the years, these times have varied in their nature, but they have all been meaningful.  It is a time to ponder. It is a time to give thanks, and it is a time to collectively regroup for another go-round. 

The kids are all getting older, in fact, some are technically adults. So, we thought to ourselves, "What is it that these new adults and teenagers need most?" And, because we came across a pretty cool guy named Bob Goff, we got inspired with an idea he planted in our heads. We decided they needed tickets. 

One ticket says:  2014's PERMISSION TO FAIL. This entitles the bearer to SCREW-UP. Please use by 12/31/14.

This ticket is an acknowledgement that failing is unavoidable, expected, even encouraged. It is, in fact, a major ingredient in succeeding. However, we go through life mentally lambasting ourselves when we fall short of perfect. Society is hard enough on those who expose faults. So, we told them, here is permission to screw-up. It is not permission to be lazy, but to make a mess of things and still love yourself and be loved by us. 

The other ticket is golden and says:  2014's BLOW IT BIG. This entitles the bearer to take a risk, a chance, or go out on a limb, with the result being disaster, humiliation, or breaking of said limb. 

And the small print says:  Although consequences may need to be paid, the bravery of taking a risk is a cause to celebrate. WELL DONE.

This one is special because it is to be used when pursuing or encouraging dreams. It is to be used when you reach for something bigger than you and fall flat on your face; when you put yourself out there and it doesn't pay off. The goal is not the success but the stretch. 

I hope they use these tickets. I hope they let themselves off the hook. I hope they offer grace to themselves. And I hope they reach for something out of grasp. I hope they dream impossible dreams and pursue them with foolish abandon.  

Let's have a golden ticket year.