That’s what some folks say about wine when it pleases their palette. They then go on to speak of the smoothness, robust flavor, color and taste. And, on some levels, I could say the same for this past year of 2009. For me it was filled with activity, creative process, changes in schedules and tasks, as well as in mobility. It has been a full-bodied year.
And this is the final day of that year. Last year, on this day, I did a sort of look back accounting of the year itself. Went back and read that yesterday and found some of the seeds that began to flower in this one. Last year, at this time, I had just opened the door to a delightful new activity: coloring.
I was thoroughly enjoying my own personal exploration and finding a wealth of expression in the process. It was soothing and healing. That eventually gave way to Mandalas, Zentangles, and sketchbooks of my own doodlings. Then I got involved in the Sketchbook Project at
www.arthousecoop.com/
I finished that project a few days ago and will mail it off later today. It was a bit overwhelming, but I did mange to complete it and am pleased, not only with the project, but the inspiration I found within it. I love the fact that all of the above has made me eager to face off with this New Year. If I had to define those experiences, I think I would have to title this past year, The Year of Creative Explosion (or Expansion).
I have written a great deal about the Wild Thing that resides in all of us. Yet, when I look back on these past twelve months, I find a very colorful Wild Thing that has patiently abided within me, waiting for just this opportunity to speak and express itself. One that never quite found complete satisfaction in the black and white world of words.
Due to a very limited budget, I had to make most of my Christmas gifts this year. And it was a delight to realize that I had spent so much time preparing for that without actually once thinking about it. There were all those images, full of color, harmony, beauty, to work with. Married to a few words of poetry, they were the perfect expression and vehicle for what I had to do. I loved the outcome and so did those who received them. Those were very special gifts and I loved giving them.
But, this year was also been The Year of The Car. I hadn’t owned a vehicle in five years, and had the opportunity and took it. What a difference that has made, not just in my mobility, but in the way I see myself and pursue those things that interest me most. It meant freedom in so many little ways, and an expansion of my choices as well. Although it also limited my meager budget even further, it was well worth the stress and worry I put into making that decision.
Also, in this past year, my relationship with my family has been altered a great deal. My sisters and I have been able to care for my Mother with some amount of smoothness, a lot of humor and laughter, and a lot less distance. We have all gained support from one another and, that in turn, pleases my Mom probably more than anything else could.
But, that also means that my time and energies have been altered in both large and small ways. My blogs have suffered, simply because I have had to let go of some of what I had been doing. I refuse to give them up completely because they satisfy that Wild Word Thing that also abides within me. Although they are not anywhere as prolific as they had been, they are still a basic form of satisfaction that I can’t afford to let slide away completely.
Best of all, I have been able to keep my journal up on a daily basis. It still forms the beginning of my day and is still the best friend I have ever had. When I jot down ideas about things I would like to do, or images I would like to try, it is almost as though those thoughts move from wishes to promises I am making to my own person. Some, like the Sketchbook Project, seem a bit overwhelming, but just writing about those feelings seems to become a prod to simply keep moving forward. I have no desire to disappoint my best friend.
Looking back on this past year, what I find is an element of contentment and satisfaction I have not known in the past. It’s also a bit scary. Could next year be even better? All I can do is hope. That’s not a bad way to begin another year. Are you hopeful for the same?
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