Irish, honey, you sound like you already have the plan in order.
You sound strong, competent, human, loving, compassionate . . . all the words one would like to see tacked by their name.
But, as the turning of the year seems to be symbolic to you, and I'm not knocking it, I've been there myself, I will tell you what I did once.
I had a very intense 3 year relationship with someone when I was much, much younger. Looking back, I can see the superficiality of it, but at the time . . . It ended in October. On New Year's Eve, after 2 months of intense Grief, I went out into my backyard at midnight, champagne in one hand, and just HOWLED. Screamed. Yelled. Not crying, mind you, just letting it all out and letting it go.
That didn't end the grieving process, mind you, but it did serve as a symbolic 'turning my back' on the year and everything it had held. Only looking forward. I still remember that to this day. I yelled until my throat was raw. I'm sure my neighbors appreciated it.
Reliving this makes me want to make a symbolic gesture this year. How about I just crack a champagne bottle over H's head? Just kidding. I'll crack one over your H's head and you crack one over mine. Two strangers on a train, remember that one? LOL
