It's a NEW Year.

2016 was the best year yet (for me).  I experienced more freedom within myself.  I practiced new behaviors and beliefs I have wanted as a part of my life.  I experienced the manifestation of very personal long term visions.  I had more fun.   

Thanks to my 2016 journals and my annual ritual of The New Year Creative Workshop, I was able to sit with what has become and what I'd like to become.

I am so grateful for good health and my relationships both with myself and others.  

Today I feel especially grateful for a partner who lives his dream (which is entirely different from mine) and offers support as well as encouragement in assisting me in living mine.  And, that, somehow, we have time to meet in the middle. We're such good touchstones for each other.  

I am so grateful for the library as my primary source of enrichment.  A stack of books has always soothed my soul.  

I am grateful for those who inspire me to create, those who believe in what I do and those who feel something from my work.  I am grateful for those who choose to represent, host and sell my work.

I am grateful for more of an ability to notice and having more time to reflect on that noticing.

I am grateful for sunny days and my ability to embrace them with open arms.

I am so grateful to be able to spend time with young people full of hope, curiosity and joy.  

Children are our best teachers.

And, there are things that nag at me - like the hole in the wall in the kitchen where the dishwasher used to be. Or the fact that our health insurance premiums have doubled.  There is a long list of stuff like this that has a tendency to pull me down sometimes and create a feeling like I am moving through mud but, when set next to the list above, it's difficult to find reason why I should let this nagging list keep nagging.  It is what it is.

There are events that challenged my belief system and life values this year.  Like the Presidential election or discovering that my best friend of over 32 years has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer with only a 4% survival rate.

And, there is so much I want to live for.

More laughter

More fun

More self discovery

More creativity

More of my philosophy on living

Growing more in a partnership with my husband

Getting stronger within myself

Evolving alongside my (tiny, little) art school

More learning how to care for myself and age gracefully

More camping

More books

More nature

More delight

Just to name a few...

Happy New Year, Friends.

"To live is the rarest thing in the world.  Most people just exist."   -  Oscar Wilde