Thank you, Sandy for agreeing to update your 2023 post for us. Here are Sandy’s thoughts about 2024. Happy New Year Everyone!
Each new year, rather than resolutions, I choose a theme for the year and three or four “focus” areas. The whole process is pure intuition, and the result is more “intentions” than “resolutions.” During the year, the focus areas provide starting points to thinking about real-life issues, concerns, challenges.
I’ve kept the same theme for the past 2 years and plan to keep it this year as well. The challenge continues to be “Stepping Grace-fully over Thresholds.” Since March, I’ve had a husband in rehab, my only brother die, his middle daughter, 53, die. I’ve learned I need a knee replacement and have had more than one dream collapse with no one to blame. At 78, thresholds appear fast and furious.
And I’m far from alone. No matter how delightful our individual lives are (and mine is ideal), many of us are struggling with a dim and even dangerous horizon. We know that life can change very quickly —-physically, emotionally, financially, socially, spiritually, not to mention “technologically” —- which you know if you’ve seen any Chat GPT results. The “thresholds” —- those events that take us from one understanding to another or even one life to another —- speed up. How do we step over them with trust and gratitude? I think that’s a lifelong question.
That said, I have some new focus areas for the year.
Last year, they were Forgiveness, Agility, Discovery, and Energy.
For 2024, the following:
CLARITY: I want to. clarify the values that drive my actions, specifically the ones worth my life. My beginning list includes: doing unto ALL others as I want done unto me, i.e. inclusion, compassion, justice, kindness, generosity, respect. I want clarity on what “activism” for these values looks like at my age. How do I effectively “be the change I want ro see in the world”?
HOPE: What does it mean to be hope-full when many things appear hopeless? What is “muscular hope” to use Krista Tippett’s phrase or “wise hope” to use Jane Goodall’s? I’m clearer right now on what it isn’t than what it is —- and I want to flip that. .
INTEGRITY: I want to be integrated, which for me means making sure that what I SAY I believe is what I ACTUALLY believe and is made flesh in what I DO. — i.e., how I spend my money, time, energy. Sounds simple, but we all know how easy it is to disconnect those things. I want my life to be coherent. I want my beliefs, credos and actions to be consistent. Clarity, hope and integrity work together to make decisions that lead to concrete action.
AGILITY: I kept this one because I still feel the challenge to dance with Life, to flow with Reality rather than fight it. I want to get better at discerning creative alternatives in tricky situations.
So my acronym for the year is “CHIA” —- which as you know is a seed that’s very good for you! I hope to sow some seeds that contribute to the health of the planet. Here’s a photo of a chia plant in case you don’t have one in your garden:
In an earlier post to this blog, I mentioned a quote from a man named Martin Shaw who said something like: “We need to stop using the phrase ‘living with uncertainty’ — and say instead ‘Navigating the Mystery.'” That has more energy ….
The image of “navigating” has added a wonderful dimension to my theme and focus areas, for to ‘navigate’ does indeed require more energy. It requires preparation, new skills, understanding the environment. It means having a vision —- whether you’re navigating the Internet, a kayak in rapids or your one wild and precious life. At this age, it’s a great reminder to live to the fullest.