Looking Forward
The one word thing is not a practice I formally adopted, but around the time when one year starts to turn and face the next, I think about my hopes and intentions for the year ahead. Once the December page falls to the floor and the fireworks have settled, I think in earnest, ”What do I need more of? Less? What do I want this year to be?”
In the late fall of 2019, I decided my one word for next year should be "Celebrate". -Dramatic pause to let that sink in.- I wanted to intentionally look for occasions to celebrate and make small, everyday things joyful and special. Then, 2020.
When the world "turned turtle" (Mary Poppins Returns), I could've really leaned into that word, but I didn't. I threw it out the window along with almost every “normal” aspect of life.
My one word for this year is not "Celebrate" although I very easily could've chosen to repeat it and actually work towards this way of thinking and living. I chose a different word for this year, but the idea of looking forward to something, planning something to celebrate, remains.
The importance of something to look forward to keeps resurfacing. My husband and I have started looking towards the future and making plans again. Things to look forward to. This act of talking and thinking and planning and dreaming has done good things for my soul. Something to hope for and work towards is good for the spirit.
Having something to look forward to lifts the heart, better yet with a partner. I hope the year ahead brings you much to celebrate, both little and large.
ReplyDeleteThe honesty of your choice not to lean into celebration and “make the best” of a world turned turtle is a reminder of how emotionally raw the last year has been for so many.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to something, no matter how big or small, uplifts the soul. It puts a pep in your step and makes everything a little brighter. Here's to a year of looking forward, cheers!
ReplyDeleteMallory, I feel like one of the greatest casualties of this pandemic is the gleeful feeling of anticipation. I've been paralyzed with fear about making plans or looking towards the future, because it's felt like we're living in quicksand. However, I know we can't move through the world this way forever. "Thinking, planning, and dreaming" are always good for our souls. I'm glad possibility has resurfaced for you, and I think you should reclaim celebrate as your one word when you feel ready to . Enjoyed this reflection friend!
ReplyDeleteI admire those who can choose a word and reflect on it for an entire year. I have thought about it, but I keep changing the word before giving up on making it official. If I had to choose one, though, celebrate would be a good one.
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