New Year- Be Present and Love

It's a new year and I have been thinking a great deal about where my life is moving in the coming year. Last year was rich- full of new people, new relationships, a great deal of travel, a new home base. At the beginning of 2008, I made a collage of my intentions for the year- it was very colorful, vibrant, maybe even a bit chaotic. Interestingly, the year was very similar to my collage.

I have had trouble so far this year making a collage for 2009. My intention is not as clear as it was last year.

Part of me would love life to slow down a bit. I'd love to take a little more time to breathe, to meditate, to do art, to write. I'm not sure that this requires life to slow down or me to be more intentional in my practice. Maybe it is a little of both- I can't really meditate or pray on super speed.

I also have some things that I really want to see grow in the coming year. My new business, www.collegematchpoint.com. In addition, I want to deepen the friendships and relationships that were born in 2008. Learning to be more vulnerable with people was huge for me in the last year.

More than anything, I want to be fully alive and aware in each moment. To enjoy and love those I am with. When I think back over the last year little moments of joy hold fast in my memory:

- Hiking on a sunny day with Bob as we celebrated our 25 wedding anniversary
- Wrapping 21 crazy presents for Mary for her 21st birthday
- Watching Katie and her crew dress up in camo to toilet paper a house
- Pulling the yarn down on Easter morning at Journey
- Sitting in our Fred Group in a moment of deep pain and feeling an equal amount of
deep love
- Watching Bob, Mary, and Katie laugh at me as the waves crushed me at the ocean
- Sharing our love of creativity with friends at an art party
- Enjoying a perfect (and I mean perfect) cup of coffee in LA
- Going to Sedona with women I didn't know and coming back with real friends
- Flying kites on the beach with the Grodems
- Having dinner, wine and the best conversation with Jane
- Enjoying a long visit with my Mom in May
- Seeing my dearest friend, Teresa, after 10 years
- Hearing a student say, "there is hope for me."

I could go on and on with great little moments. There were of course moments of deep sadness as well. We experienced our first death of a friend this year- a close friend. It broke our hearts and still does, but getting to be present with him and his family through the illness was an amazing gift.

I'm not sure there is any plan for me this year other than to be present and love. As for the collage, the trick is always not to overthink it- just choose images and go for it. This time next year maybe the images will make sense.