Stepping Back Before Going Forward

Today is a day to pause, step back, and remember what life has offered me before leaping into the new year. It is a time to reflect on my positive moves and the gaps that need to be sorted out. In doing so, an image came to mind: being the chalk board monitor in my elementary school days. I eagerly washed the board each day after school. There was a fluidity to that task, a sense of accomplishment and pride as I prepared the chalk board for a new day.

I have been thinking about that action in preparation for choosing my One Little Word (OLW) for 2015. At the start of 2014, I found the perfect word: openness.  It led me to many new opportunities as a connected colleague, writer, professional development specialist, and thinker. I engaged in new ventures; rekindled my love for quiet spaces through yoga; met many individuals, both virtually and face-to-face. I allowed creativity to flow and with so unveiled four galleries of artistic expressions:

• REFLECT WITH ME  - Bringing Together a Community of Writers To Celebrate Life and Learning
• April Awakenings
• Summer Serenity Gallery
• Finding Fall Gallery

Doors opened and I walked through them, sometimes hesitant, but still moving onward. Did I accomplish what I set out?  -Partially-  Cluttered messes are still to be found in spaces in my home and mind, but they are being sorted out to bring order and balance to life. Are there gaps that need to be tended to?  -Absolutely-  So I must continue on this journey trying to find the right ingredients to mix a new recipe for 2015 to become a vibrant member of my family and community. 

The hustle and bustle events of the past two months have pushed aside reflective practices that bring order to cluttered chaos. Now is the time for me to step back before going forward.  

Thank you to the entire Two Writing Teachers' Team: Stacey, Betsy, Dana, Tara, Beth, & Anna for creating a safe haven to write weekly slices on life. Please stroll over to the Two Writing Teachers' Slice of Life site to view other writers' views on life this week.