January 04th, 2024

Happy New Year!

2024. Wow.

The holidays were crazy busy, even for me, fairly stuck with my foot in a cast. I think that was part of my own, personal “hecticity”. Everything I wanted to do (within my capabilities) was more laborious and took longer, much longer, than it normally would. My activities ran together.

But really, so what? For the most part, I’ve simply been a little uncomfortable and vastly inconvenienced, nothing more. My recovery seems to be going well this time around. All good. Still, while I hope I've always been sympathetic to those in pain or discomfort, I believe I now have a better understanding of how hard it must be – and how admirable it is -- to maintain a cheerful attitude when disabled or in chronic pain.

Borrowing from Merriam-Webster:
Resolve: - to deal with successfully, to clear up
                 - to find an answer to
                 - to make clear or understandable
                 - to reach a firm decision about
                 - to declare or decide by a formal resolution
                 - to (make something) progress from dissonance to consonance

I especially like that last definition -- from dissonance to consonance. 

Harmony.
                    
Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? I always do. Lately, I've noticed that lots of people prefer the term “goals”. A great many others get flustered or wave the notion away dismissively, even aggressively.

I always write down resolutions. But I don’t count my list as a challenge. For me, January is a time of
reflection, renewal, and peace. In the northern hemisphere, it’s deep winter. Even animals are hibernating. It’s calm and quiet, not frenetic. Even my fitness resolutions don’t set off alarm bells.

This year, I've neatly sectioned off my resolutions/goals/intentions. Without going into detail or getting too personal, here’s the outline:

    1. Soul Health

    2. Spirituality

    3. Mind Health 

    4. Physical Health

    5. Writing Life

    6. Social Media

    7. Love – as much as I possibly can.

Each section or category has a short description plus a few “specifics”. Those are more personal -- more for your sake than mine. I’m an open book. But I will say that publishing the sequel to Tremors Through Time is one of the specifics. 😊

I don’t compose my list as if in a fever or with aggravation, irritation, shame… This is me looking back over a year’s time, thinking, praying, and seriously considering what I need to do… Here’s the important part – I consider what I need to do to better be able to answer my calling, to share and to love and to serve. In other words, how can I harmonize my hopes, thoughts, actions, and purpose? 

My New Year’s Resolutions are between me and myself, but they’re not just about me. They’re also not massive promises to God or to anyone. They are not Reconciliation/Confession, although some might lead to that.

They are hopes and intentions. I’ll even need help with them – from God and the angels He has placed in my life.

They are nothing to be feared or irritated about. I don't necessarily need to "attack" them. They are good because even though they might seem to be about me – and so they are -- there’s much more to them than that.

Of course, this is just my point of view. But it's good for everyone to stop and rest and take stock now and then.

​Wishing you joy and peace this year and always.