2008

“Think back one year.

What were the top 3 things you experienced? How did you grow? What did you learn? Who supported you? What did you transcend? What light came into your life?

Jon Kabat-Zinn wrote The Catastrophe of Full-on Living. His book basically says that if you are fully alive it’s going to be a gritty, shitty mess at times and you’re here to learn to embrace, forgive, transcend and transform everything that comes your way. Cry. Laugh. Stomp your feet. Ask for help.”

Jennifer Schelter

“Gimme Shelter”

I hope this woman doesn’t mind how frequently I quote her blog, but I thought it was an appropriate subject to throw around given the time of year. I have a feeling that Christmas is going to get so busy, between the gift buying, the decorating, the family, the 7-fish-eating, and the friends in town that I’ll forget to pause before the New Year.

If anything, each new year deserves a pause. Pause to remember, pause to look forward. Pause to mourn, to celebrate, to hope. Who have we lost, who have we gained? What have we accomplished, what was ignored?

Each year everything happens to quickly that I forget all the small, wonderful moments of 2008, but manage to find time to dwell on the minute negativity so much that it blows up into this overbearing white elephant. So to give 2008 proper credit, where credit is due, lets look back on some of the best of 08, and look forward to an interesting 09.

In 2008….

ex•pe•ri•ence [ik-speer-ee-uhns] –noun 1. a particular instance of personally encountering or undergoing something. 3. the observing, encountering, or undergoing of things generally as they occur in the course of time.4. knowledge or practical wisdom gained from what one has observed.

1. Isabeau told me she loved me, and now knows my name. Amazing.

2. Fisher and Puck still remember me after 6 months and 2000 miles of separation.

3. Love lost, love found, love tested.

learn [lurn] –verb 1.to acquire knowledge of or skill in by study, instruction, or experience.4. to gain (a habit, mannerism, etc.) by experience, exposure to example, or the like; acquire.

1. Life doesn’t have a rulebook.

2. I have the best friends in the whole wide world.

3. Without a doubt, my mom will always be my #1 fan.

4. Don’t ever sell your soul, you might not get it back.

sup•port [suh-pawrt, -pohrt] –verb (used with object) 1. to bear or hold up (a load, mass, structure, part, etc.); serve as a foundation for. 3. to undergo or endure, esp. with patience or submission; tolerate. 4. to sustain (a person, the mind, spirits, courage, etc.) under trial or affliction.

1. 3 cold wet noses attached to 3 fluffy darlings.

2. The only man crazy enough to put up with my highs & lows

3. My #1 fan. Followed by #2, & #3

tran•scend [tran-send] –verb (used with object) 1. to rise above or go beyond; overpass; exceed. 2. to outdo or exceed in excellence, elevation, extent, degree, etc. ; surpass, excel.

1. Fear.

2. Mountains.

3. My resume.

light¹ [lahyt] –noun 1. something that makes things visible or affords illumination. 7. daybreak or dawn. 13. the state of being visible, exposed to view, or revealed to public notice or knowledge; limelight. 18. spiritual illumination or awareness.

1. My best friend in the whole wide world made it through all the muck, found some light, and then shared it with me. Thanks love.

2. My silly ego.

3.. Oscar Pants (aka Oscar de la Grouch, aka Oscar d’Grouch, aka Oscar Wildly Racing Around)

4. Southern exposure.

I’m sure I missed some things, but I’d rather have something on paper than nothing. At the very least 2008 should have a page in my life, I’ll let you know when I’ve nailed down some tentative plans for 2009. I might need to stomp my feet, or ask for help.