![\"IMG_5493](\"http:\/\/intramuralist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/IMG_5493-3-300x225.jpg\")
After a year of atypical, ardent ups and downs, the Intramuralist and company set out to add some new experiences to our annual, end of year celebrations. Hence, this midwestern family of five found ourselves in the middle of Times Square as the ball and confetti\u00a0dropped, ringing in the festive start to 2016.<\/p>\n
It was actually fascinating; we had never done that before \u2014 \u201ca bucket lister,\u201d said one enthusiastic son. And so with an approximate 999,995 others, we did our best packed sardines imitation \u2014 albeit mostly<\/em> without the odor and oil.<\/p>\n On one hand, the precautions were eye-opening in a \u201chuge-A-Ha,\u201d unfortunate way. We noted the thousands of police officers positioned to protect us; they were on every corner\u2026 in the streets\u2026 on the subway. It is a sad reality that such joy-filled public celebrations must now be guarded against those who set out to only destroy; the evil and terror has pierced our innocence. No doubt none in our family will soon forget the few officers thus actually armed with AK-47s.<\/p>\n Yet herded as we were into this unprecedented environment on NYC\u2019s jam-packed 7th Avenue, there was something more eye-opening and encouraging than all the precautions, all the protection, and all who attempted to zap the joy of New Year\u2019s Eve\u2026<\/p>\n Picture this\u2026 picture the most crowded place you can imagine \u2014 a stadium, a massive conference room\u2026 people everywhere\u2026 with little room to do anything more than raise your arms with smart phone in hand in order to capture the next snapshot, chat, whatever.<\/p>\n But unlike such typical scenarios, where a crowd of massive size would be aware of varied interests and individual wants, needs, opinions, emotions, etc., we were all focused on the same thing;\u00a0we were all excited about the same thing; we were all looking in the same direction \u2014 eyes focused \u2014 waiting and wanting for the big ball to drop.<\/p>\n Without a doubt, there is a inherently beautiful meaning accompanying the dropping of that New Year\u2019s ball\u2026<\/p>\n Instead of focusing on our differences and maximizing what we don\u2019t<\/em> have in common \u2014 noting that in an actual, estimated crowd of one million people, countless significant<\/em> differences exist \u2014 we shared something greater. Indeed, it was far<\/em> greater\u2026 so great, in fact, our individual differences did not matter\u2026<\/p>\n \u2026 different genders, ethnicities, ages, faiths, etc. They did not matter.<\/em> They were also not watered-down. Our differences did not have to be ignored or removed in order for the celebration to ensue. We were each excited about a celebration greater than self.<\/p>\n I was especially struck by my youngest son, that incredible kid who has never been disabled by his special needs. Note that previous to our trip, we had (sadly)<\/em> cautioned him in regard to taming some of his typically more overt, overly friendly interactions in Manhattan. But sensing there was something different about this crowd \u2014 and people actually were<\/em> interacting and were<\/em> friendly \u2014 Josh said “hello” to an elderly New Yorker. Encouraged by a\u00a0brief acknowledgement, Josh continued, \u201cHey,” <\/em>he paused. “Want to be friends?\u201d<\/em> The man was first taken by surprise; he then lit up with a huge grin, articulating a hearty, warm Italian response, and said, \u201cYou just made my whole night!\u201d\u2028<\/em><\/p>\n Our nights were each made \u2014 because our individual differences did not matter. We could simply, poignantly, “be friends.”<\/p>\n Oh, how I crave such\u2026 that we learn to accept and respect our differences \u2014 with no demanding-ness, no in-your-face-ness, no watering down nor need to force everyone else to \u201cthink like you\/me\u201d\u2026 no narcissism\u2026 no arrogance\u2026 no \u201cmad-as-hell\u201d rants or unattractive self-promotion\u2026<\/p>\n It\u2019s amazing what that big ball can do.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s to 2016, friends\u2026 as we wrestle with our differences via respectful dialogue \u2014 always encouraging one another to grow.<\/p>\n Respectfully\u2026 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After a year of atypical, ardent ups and downs, the Intramuralist and company set out to add some new experiences to our annual, end of year celebrations. Hence, this midwestern family of five found ourselves in the middle of Times Square as the ball and confetti\u00a0dropped, ringing in the festive start to 2016. It was … <\/p>\n
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