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| A symbol of 2024's word of the year |
Every year since 2003, I've tried to keep a special Word of the Year in mind, a touchstone of sorts to hold me steady when life becomes challenging. My word for 2023 was Appreciation, and there definitely was lots to appreciate. (Don't worry, though I'm picking a new word, I'll continue with the Monday Music Appreciation posts I started in 2023 just because I love to share music here!)
It's interesting to look back on my words of the year -- moodled here since 2017 -- and other words before that can be found in letters between myself and Cathy, my best friend (we've been keeping each others' letters since we were 10 years old, so there is a record of words in New Year's letters if we go back and look).
Just for fun, these have been my words for the last seven years:
2023 was a very difficult year in my books. I just deleted a long paragraph about its challenges because I'm sure most of us had enough of our own -- we don't need to read anyone else's!
Of course, there were good things, too. Friendships. My dream job at the Winspear Centre for Music. The garden my family planted for me when I broke my foot, and which really produced. My mom and dad's lovely new condo. A trip to Vancouver Island, and visits with special friends out there. Rafting on the Athabasca River near Jasper with favourite folks from Belgium. Calgary coffee breaks on our trips south to be with Lee's dad. His new apartment, and the fact that he's not spending this winter alone. Time with my sisters and parents. The first trip to Jasper with our kids in 6 years, and pubbing with them (they're all of age now)!
Like most years, 2023 was a mixed bag. The good thing is that I've become better at handling life's ups and downs thanks to a 14-week online Wisdom School program through the Centre for Action and Contemplation. It helped me to let go of unhealthy expectations (mostly, ever in progress!) and live out of an undivided heart, to be more "grounded" -- though it's going to take the rest of my life to grow into the way of wisdom.
The Centre for Action and Contemplation and a few recent experiences have helped me to decide on my Word of the Year for 2024. RESILIENCE is also the CAC's focus for 2024, and it's something that I suspect we human beings will need more and more as our world continues to face so many challenges.
Resilience means not giving up, moving forward with compassion and determination even when things get difficult or seem impossible. Resilience comes from working together to improve creation's situation in whatever ways we can. Resilience arises when we remember that we are not alone.
What's your word of the year? Or your focus for 2024?
I rediscovered a Psalm Prayer from 2016, one that I will be praying as I try to live into the kind of resilience that our planet needs right now.
A New Year's Psalm
O Creator,
for new beginnings --
fresh footprintless fields with unplanned paths,
clear calendars and unwritten words,
unperceived passages that we will discover in the year ahead.
loves and losses,
ups and downs.
from the last twelve months
and ask that you bless us and heal us as needed.
in the twelve months ahead,
our joy and strength.
In all the twists and turns of life
be our refuge.
bring your justice and peace into our world through our actions.
Help us to love as you love, without reserve.
Please be gracious to us and bless us
so that we may also bless those you send into our lives,
especially those most in need of blessing.
O Lover of all,
and bless your world
We exult and rejoice in your presence with us
and trust in your goodness to us.
From the rising of the sun to its setting
and all the moments in between
we praise you,
Creator of life.
+Amen.
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