I received a pretty cool email from my Aunt today. I don’t know who the original author is but it applies to any year not just 2010. Good stuff to keep in mind.

HANDBOOK FOR 2010

Health:
1.       Drink plenty of water.
2.       Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3.       Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants…
4.       Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5.       Make time to pray.
6.       Play more games.
7.       Read more books than you did in 2009.
8.       Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9.       Sleep for 7 hours.
10.    Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11.    Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12    Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13.    Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
14.    Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15.    Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
16.    Dream more while you are awake.
17.    Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18.    Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19.    Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
20.    Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
21.    No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22.    Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.  Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23.    Smile and laugh more.
24.    You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree….

Society:
25.    Call your family often.
26.    Each day give something good to others.
27.    Forgive everyone for everything.
28.    Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of  6.
29..    Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30.    What other people think of you is none of your business.
31.    Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32.    Do the right thing!
33.    Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
34.    GOD heals everything.
35.    However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36.    No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up..
37.    The best is yet to come.
38.    When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39.    Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

In our family, it’s a tradition to eat Black Eye Peas and Homemade Biscuits on New Year’s Day. It represents good luck and prosperity for the year. It’s something that I remember my Grandma and Great Grandma cooking and baking from the time I was little.

Black Eye Peas are wonderful when cooked slowly in a pot of seasoned water and smoked turkey legs. Traditionally my grandma would make them with ham hocks but I’ve moved to a somewhat healthier version to accommodate the non-pork eating members of the family. I want them to have good luck and prosperity for the year too!

I typically purchase the family size Pictsweet Black Eye Peas from the frozen vegetable aisle at Walmart. You can make a meal out of Black Eye Peas by adding the smoked turkey legs and rice.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of chicken stock
• 3 cups of water
• 1 pound dried black-eyed peas
• 2 smoked turkey legs
• 1 large onion sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:

1. In a large pot, combine the black-eyed peas, smoked turkey, 3 cups of chicken stock and 3 cups of water.
2. Dice the onion and add to the pot along with the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently until the beans are tender but not mushy, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the onions and smoked turkey legs, cut off the meat and set aside. Drain the peas and set aside. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
3. Add 2 1/2 cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the rice, cover, and simmer until the rice is almost tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Add the rice along with the garlic salt, pepper and table salt. Cook until the rice is tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the sliced onions and the reserved smoked turkey. Serve with hot sauce and freshly baked cornbread or biscuits.