Sunday, January 3, 2010

Be It Resolved

I haven't thought about New Year's resolutions for quite a few years, actually. But this year, I felt the need to sit down and put some real consideration into them. So many things are new at the beginning of this year, so much change. I need me some focus and I've made a list, finally.

Naturally, one is my intent to write more, and more often. One involves hoping to publish something I've written. A whole bunch of them have to do with my son and with mothering. And of course, losing weight/getting fit/toned so I can return to pre-prego condition (still working on this). A few women told me it's nearly impossible to lose weight while breastfeeding. No harm working on it, though, with a healthy approach!

A few in particular have to do with reorganizing my life in prep for The Big Move come spring. Forgive the phrasing, but basically I need to get all Buddhist on my ass. Try to create a zen existence in place of this chaos, more in keeping with my son's monk-like temperament. And I'll take a zen approach - not one room at a time, but one box at a time. One bag at a time. One little drawer at a time. Small steps to clear my life of the clutter and cobwebs this old farmhouse has accumulated.  In the spring, I will hold a garage sale. What I don't sell will be donated or dumped. A slow catharsis. The shedding of many years (along with the prego weight).

In the past few years, I've heard girlfriends talk about their "one word" of the year. Yesterday, I discovered the woman whose idea this is: Ali Edwards. (Thanks, Sara!) I love the concept of choosing one word to focus upon as a throughline for your entire year; a thread binding the many patches of your life into one garment with which to cloak yourself.


This year, I choose the word move.

I want to get moving. I want to keep moving forward. To make my move. To be moved. To move others.

Mobility will be an important theme this year for Sonshine and myself.

Not only are we anticipating moving from this farmhouse back to a semi-urban existence and building a new home together, but he will begin actual movement. Crawling, standing, walking: these will all be actions new to him; to his tiny mind, to his little limbs. His discovery of his wee body's capacities and the ability to stretch himself past limitations, past what he could formerly only regard as boundaries, will be incredibly freeing for him. (For me, not so much. HA!) I do, though, look forward to his exploration of movement within himself, of himself, for himself and by himself. He's becoming a little heavy to transport nowadays. I have biceps on my biceps!

So, move. That's my word for the year.
What's yours?

Wonder if I can choose one word for this new decade? Think I'll stick to small steps, though. And revel in witnessing my little boy make his first ones soon down this road we're traveling.

Some time in the 500s B.C., a Chinese philosopher named Lao Tzu wrote, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

Another cool guy wrote,
"Everything is moving so fast. I am unlimited..."



Small steps can take you so far, I've learned already. And what a journey lies ahead!

Happy 2010, everyone!

Music: Everything is Moving So Fast, Great Lake Swimmers

8 comments:

Michael said...

Sounds like a good plan to me. Small steps. Small moves. They always win the game. :)

Brian Miller said...

keep stepping...move i think is a great word for the year...and your life will never be the same after the lettle one learns it. still chasing my boys...i guess i always will. hope the actual move goes well...i am sure you will make a home. smiles.

Elaine Prunty said...

really cute photo....and moving sentiments...or should that be moving moving sentiments....
good luck with your plans nancy ,may all your moves be great ones....

as a little aside and i hope you don't mind me saying this and maybe its just me and my really bad eyesight so please just ignore me...but i think white text on black background is very difficult to read....the white text just starts to blur and kinda jump out ! ( I hope this revelation does lead to someone further revealing that that is a sign of some sort of brain abnormality !!!!)

Elaine Prunty said...

i of course meant does NOT lead to someone ........

nancy said...

thanks, all. Elaine, i'm so sorry my layout is hard on your eyes. i like it the way it is for now, but this may change down the road and i may start playing around. who knows what it can evolve into? it might be a good change for the start of a new decade to consider black on white instead. (nothing is black and white as regards this!) so...maybe keep your eyes peeled. if i try black on white and don't dig it all that much, i might revert back (in which case, i hope you'll forgive me). i'm not into backgrounds or templates, myself, so it will either be white on black or black on white. part of my plan this year to keep things simple...thanks for sharing your feelings about it. much appreciated.

justsomethoughts... said...

good word

now y'got me thinking....

johnny said...

another awesome post...ONE WORD HUH? I like this...gonna have to thinkon it though....

Luv the music pics: luv where yur coming from...DEPT. of EAGLES ROCK!!! I luv his voice...

...as for the quote("Between the WISH and the THING...")...I've been carrying that one around for long enough to have forgotten where it came from....it's a keeper though....

Good luck for your new year

Anonymous said...

My word is 'evolve'.

And it is totally possible to lose weight while breastfeeding... I lost 80 pounds during the first six months after I had my daughter (badly needed, at that). It's all a matter of little choices, what?

You are amazing. Never stop writing, never stop believing in yourself.