A Boxful of Hope for 2013

We rang in the New Year last night with a lot of laughter, spirit and love. Nine of us gathered in our living room to celebrate, to share, to remember and to welcome in the possibilities of a new year just beginning.

As part of the festivities, I had put various decks of cards around the room — all of them related to personal insight, growth and spiritual awakening. C.C. decided to pass around  the dish with the Celtic oracle cards, inviting each person to take one. And then, we went around the circle, reading our card and sharing what it meant to us, where it manifested in our lives, how we saw it unfolding…

I love how allowing ‘what is’ to unfold creates ‘what’s next’. The sharing was deep, honest, beautiful. And, it was incredible how aligned every card was with each person’s life/story.

As part of the celebration I had filled my beautiful Limoges bowl and a butterfly box with craft supplies. In the box were also small ‘Chinese take-out’ style boxes that I invited everyone to decorate so that they could take their card home for the year with the promise to return it at year’s end.

Which is why shortly before midnight, nine adults sat scattered around the living room, on the couch, chairs, on the floor, and sifted through stickers and stamps and colouring pencils trying to decide how best to decorate their ‘Boxful of Hope for 2013’.

It was fun. Outrageous. Uplifting.

And when we were done, we all agreed — we need to remember to play more often, to let our wonder and joy be expressed through simple acts that take us back to that childhood place of total freedom to simply be in the moment, creating with joyful abandon.

For the past few years I have chosen a word that is my exploratory/meditative guide for the year. Last year, my word was ‘suppleness’, something I really needed as I began the year unemployed after leaving a job I loved and a place I loved to work to explore what more was out there waiting for me. I needed to be open and flexible, willing to let be what is, so that I could be open to all that was unfolding in my life.

And what amazing things unfolded in my life!

This year, the word that arose within me is, “REJOICE”. One of my paintings from my weekend blitz was called Rejoice, and as I sat and decorated my Boxful of Hope for 2013 last night, I felt my soul rejoicing.

Yes! it cried out in joy. Life is about being open to the wonder and awe and miracles unfolding in each moment slipping into the next. It’s about celebrating all that I am, all that I do, all that I become when I let go of rushing through the moment.

It’s about giving myself the gift of the moment to simply be present and rejoice in what is in my life in this moment right now. No matter the weather, no matter the times, the challenges, the darkness or light, when I breathe into the moment and rejoice in what is before me, miracles happen.

I am grateful.

I am blessed.

I am inspired.

To live this moment right now in the wonder of Love and awe for all that is present in my world.

A new year has begun. There is magic in the air.

I rejoice!