For the second year now, I have subscribed to Yoga Girl's year-end ceremony of letting go of the current year and intention setting for the coming new year. Each ceremony is held on its own with loose instructions on how to set yourself up for a purposeful journaling activity. Over the years, I find these ceremonies to be even more necessary. I have gone through so much (so much!) this past year that I have learned to hold LIVING and LIFE with such sanctity. It IS a miracle that we are all alive and that we get to open our eyes and do whatever it is we intend to do on that day. Not everybody gets to do that, and I know that things can change on a whim.
So today, with a cup of hot tea, my mechanical pencil, and a newly gifted notebook on hand, I sat down and listened to the prompts from her From the heart podcast and wrote down my answers. I did not hurry. I took the time to think through the blip that was last year and all the experiences that are yet to be had in 2024. Some of my favorite prompts were, "In 2024, I am saying No to..." or "What I need to leave behind in 2023 is..." This ritual was a mix of sadness and anticipation. And while they are not mutually exclusive, at times it was hard to write about something I am excited about without feeling sad or guilty for the loss I am still experiencing.
But such is life, right? You really cannot appreciate the wonder that is tomorrow without looking back to the lessons of the past. Light can be just any type of light until you've actually come out from the dark. So that's what I just did. Tomorrow, after a sharing with my best friend, Linda, I am going to burn the 2023 notes and wholeheartedly move forward into 2024. I will do this knowing that I will forever carry with me the pain (and the joys) of the year that was.
Comments