High, Low, Buffalo!

By Mary Lee Caldwell

I love Christmas and Easter. These are days that hold a special place in my heart because of the memories they hold, but more importantly because of what the days mean to me as a person of faith. They quite literally but the holy in holidays, and no other celebration compares to majesty and magnitude of Christmas and Easter, but if you know me, you know I love to make lists and rankings. Everything is a competition, and my 3rd favorite day of the year, or my bronze medal holiday, is New Year’s Day. It represents a fresh start, a clean slate, and new opportunities. It is a day where nothing seems impossible, and I love the idea of resolutions and embracing the new year with a sense of purpose and focused energy.
Resolutions on their own though can be a dangerous thing, so I think it is also important to reflect on New Year’s Day. Think back on the year you just completed, and ask yourself what you loved about the past year and what you hated. Think about your wins and your losses; what were the days you wish you relive, and what were the days you wish you could skip over; and challenge yourself to figure out who you are, who you have been, you want to be. These can be tough questions, but they are important when you want to live your life on (and of) purpose. Before we close the book on 2018, I want to challenge you to reflect on this past year with your friends and family. And I have three words that are going jump start this process and make it a whole lot easier to get the ball rolling: High, Low, Buffalo!
High, low, buffalo! These words represent my new favorite conversation starter with my family, students at work, even random strangers in line at Starbucks. The idea is simple: you ask other people what has been their high and low moments of the past year, and it is amazing to learn what have been the moments that stick out to others. You gain so much insight into other people’s mindsets and memories, but you also get a chance to explore and reflect on your own experiences and share that with others as well. 
I am sure you are wondering where the buffalo fits into this little exercise. So here it goes: you finish the conversation by asking others for their buffalo moment of the year. This is where you ask the person about a time or experience in the last year that is fun, weird, or just something that sticks out in their mind – kind of like a buffalo would stick out at your family dinner. For example, one of my buffalo moments this year was having more than 3000 people sing happy birthday to me while I was at a conference in Orlando. These are always some of the most fun conversations starters. They are also a great way to remember moments that can’t fit easily into a box, but they are special, important, and they help define us. 
For me 2018 has been a year full of highs, a few lows, and a ton of buffalos, and I want to learn from every one of those moments. This exercise has become a staple in our family dinner conversations, and I am always learning new things about the people that I am closest to. I hope you embrace it and love it as much I do.