A Year of DISCOVERY

In December of 2013 my friend & teammate, Maggie, told a bunch of us about an idea where you pick a word for the coming year.  It’s your inspirational word that you kind of live by and go back to and just see where it takes you.  I think she might explain it differently and it might include some cards, but I interpreted it simply as “pick a word.”  So, at the beginning of 2014 I printed out the word “DISCOVERY” in big letters and pinned it to my bulletin board.  Sure, I’ve gone back and looked at it every now and then and tried to think about what I was “DISCOVERING” but mostly it was just in the back of my mind as I wrote in my journal or went about my daily life.

Also in December of 2013, I bought a little book called One Line A Day, a five year memory book by Chronicle Books.  The idea is to write one sentence a day, every day, and then at the end of the year you start over.  You do it for five years and have a simple history of what’s gone on in your life.  Well, we’re at the end of 2014, so I think it’s a good time to take a look at my year of “Discovery!”

The first page, January 1, 2014, starts in a lovely way.  Apparently I must have been talking to my childhood best friend, Mary Kay, and we were talking about the little cottage I lived in.  My sentence from her was “It lives large…it wraps you!” meaning that even though it’s a tiny place, my cottage was warm, inviting and homey.  Now that’s a nice way to start the year!  Thanks MK!!  Day 2 brought the word “patience” because I’d need to have patience in order to realize my goal of “Discovery.”  I’m, obviously, not going to go through every day with you, but after reviewing my little book here are some of the year’s highlights….

• Taylor, my daughter, got engaged to Dan
• Austin, my son, got engaged to Kate
• so many great trips and celebrations with friends…book club, birthdays, mahjongg, road trips and great new extended families
• two really great, discovery trips to New York City…new museums, new cute towns, wedding dress shopping & engagement celebration
• lots of amazing sunrises that I never get tired of viewing
• tried online dating…pressed the “enroll” button at three sites, but ultimately discovered it’s not for me
• took a “basic home repairs” class and discovered that I CAN DO IT!
• tried indoor rock climbing, curling, & sailing…all really fun, but discovered that rowing will always be my true passion
• discovered that quick decisions are sometimes the best decisions
• discovered that Pizza Mondays, Duffy rides, writing and reading never get old
• started this blog and discovered that I really love to write, share, and document this great life in pictures

Next year will be all about weddings, but as I leave for a solo trip to Montreal & Quebec City I’ll be discovering my new word for 2015!  Thanks Maggie!

Happy New Year!  If you haven’t heard this version of Auld Lang Syne check it out!

What will your word for 2015 be?

   You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!