• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe

Head into the adventure of the New Year

December 29, 2023
By Rita Buettner
Catholic Review
Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

The other night, my sister Treasa and brother-in-law George’s van was out of commission, and the whole family wouldn’t fit into their other car. So, after we finished dinner and all, George and the five older children were going to walk home from my parents’ house in the dark.

My father added to the adventure by handing each child—ages 4 to 9—a little flashlight. They tumbled out the door into the darkness ready for their walk in the cool evening air.

My sister Maureen and I went along partly for fun and partly in case an extra set of hands was needed with the crew. But minutes into the walk, I could see the children only needed us as an appreciative audience.

This was their terrain, and they knew the walk well—even though they might not usually make the trip in the dark. They were prepared to point out all the sights along the way, and there are many during Christmas week.

“Look at the snowman on the roof!”

“Do you see Santa?”

“Here’s the llama!”

“The Grinch is dancing!”

They announced each spot along the way, even stopping to pose for photos with some of their favorite decorations. Even after we had arrived home, they had to walk us around the corner to see inflatable nutcrackers and Grinches and snowmen.

It was a magical walk—for us and for the children. And I thought, as I often do, how much experiences are enriched when seeing them through children’s eyes. I can’t tell you how many times I have walked that very same path without noticing “the jungle” or a special bench. I loved seeing a child jump out from behind a tree with an enthusiastic “Boo!” followed by gales of laughter. They ran into the darkness with confidence and curiosity.

As we prepare to begin a new year, I know that the days might not seem all that different on the other side of midnight on January 1. But they also await us with wonder, holding new opportunities and new discoveries.

Maybe the best way to greet these days ahead is like a child who’s been handed a flashlight to find the way through the dark. May we move into the year ready to discover the familiar with new eyes and a sense of hopeful anticipation and joy.

If you’re looking for a saint for the new year, you can have one randomly selected for you with this Saint Name Generator or this Generator created by Tiny Saints. I was happy to be paired with St. Ignatius of Antioch, and then I was over the moon to get St. Rita of Cascia through Tiny Saints! I have never had my patron and namesake for the year. I hope that means it will be a good year.

You might also enjoy picking a word through this Word of the Year generator. My word for this year is “Recalibrate,” which implies that there has been some sort of calibration already.

Copyright © 2023 Catholic Review Media

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Rita Buettner

View all posts from this author

| Recent Commentary |

Our faith is not afraid of questions

Artificial Intelligence, wholeism and prayer

Question Corner: Does reception of the Eucharist replace confession?

A butterfly lands on a flowering bush with purple blossoms

A Miracle for a Baby in Rhode Island (and for all of us)

Kids need lots of people who love them

| Recent Local News |

Archdiocese of Baltimore offers resources for parishes to assist migrants

Third annual gun buyback scheduled for Aug. 9

Driver arrested after crashing into entrance of Esperanza Center

Construction underway on new north addition to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home 

Prince of Peace merges with St. Francis de Sales in Harford County

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Cardinal Tomasi: Religious communities can play key roles in nuclear disarmament
  • Warsaw archbishop ‘devastated, crushed’ by priest’s arrest in brutal murder of homeless man
  • Jubilee of Youth chance to celebrate hope, fraternity in world at war, panel says
  • New York archdiocese sees hundreds of responses to ‘Called By Name’ program
  • Can’t afford a Catholic college? Think again. Many offer full tuition options
  • Detroit archbishop fires theologians Ralph Martin, Eduardo Echeverría from seminary
  • LA archbishop, joined by business leaders, starts fund to help families affected by ICE raids
  • FBI surveilled SSPX priest amid probe of suspected neo-Nazi’s plans for violence
  • Poland’s ‘living memorial’ to St. John Paul II marks 25 years of transforming lives

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en