Let's Try that Again....

…my last post addressing the New Year was rather cynical and aloof which really isn’t my style, so let’s begin anew…

Happy New Year!

Believe me, I’m fully aware the New Year is well underway but I’ve always been a late bloomer. I consistently prove to be ‘a day late a dollar short’ type of person so bear with me as I indulge you with my thoughts on beginning 2013.

If you recall my post last year at this time (click here to read it), I pronounced I didn’t believe in making resolutions merely because the pages of January replaced December. Why set myself up for failure when weeks later, I undoubtedly will fall short of said desired goals.

Therefore, I will proceed with declaring my ‘word’ that will be the focus of the next 365 days. Last year my word was ‘present’ as in ‘to be present’. My hopes when choosing this utterance were many but primarily to allow my mind and heart to center on the places and people within my midst at any given moment. The desire was to negate worrying about circumstances in which I had no immediate control.

To surmise my progress I must update the happenings of 2012. A job transfer necessitated a school swap which altered my immediate supporting cast; need I remind you I am not a proponent for change? My time, energy and efforts gravitated toward the eleven precious little ones under my care at school while my husband and son soldiered on and held down the home front.

So was I ‘present’ throughout? While the answer to that precise inquiry is up for discussion I do know one thing; the New Year does invite one to pause and evaluate the status of one’s life, namely mine.  I’ve given immense vigor without regret in the workings of my classroom so I am able to comfortably stand before you and proclaim my word of 2013…

Drum rolls please….BALANCE!

The focus of my days, at least for the next 359 is to retain those activities I relinquished; my blogging, marketing my book as well as developing the next. I will preserve the sacrificed quality time with ‘my boys’ in the evenings and on the weekends rather than conduct school work.  I will uphold taking care of myself in regards to taking walks and eating healthy. I will carry on the interests in scrapbooking, reading and photography. But most of all, I will sustain the behaviors of being the friend I’m known to be for folks in my life that need a shoulder to cry on, an ear to hear or could do with a hug.

Accordingly, in 2013 I can and will work in the direction of grasping all elements that encompass a full and healthy life; I welcome and embrace the ensuing transformation.

Welcome 2013!

 

"Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life-

learn some and think some

 and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some."

Robert Fulghum

"N" is for Nourish...

perceptions + quotes + reality =

A to Z Challenge



The sun setting at Emerald Isle, NC



We pray, read devotions and attend church to sustain our spirituality.  We consume healthy foods in an attempt to maintain a balanced diet that enhances our bodily self.  To manage our heart we lift weights, ride a bike or run on a treadmill. We complete puzzles, read books and study to augment our brain power.

When emptiness is upon us, what is it that we embrace to nourish our soul? For many of us this sustenance is derived from a sense of purpose; an extension encompassing our job or family.  For others nourishment may be fluid and embraces our social circles, leisure activities or volunteerism.

Personally, I try to preserve an even personality by maintaining structure and balance between all the undertakings noted above.  However when demands and expectations come at me like projectiles, my stress level intensifies and intervention is in order.

No doubt, my preferred undertaking is a trip to the beach; to engulf my ambiance with the sea. The act of peering out over the vast ocean reminds me I am just one grain of sand amidst thousands-- it prompts me to recognize I am not alone. The rhythmic song of the waves feeds my spirit and reinforces my oneness with the world as I immerse myself into what is true and genuine. My soul once again is thriving, tranquil, and in concert as the sea…

What do you do to nourish your soul?

"The soul, like the body, lives by what it feeds on." 

~Josiah Gilbert Holland