#OneWord2020

As winter settles in with green landscapes and warmth, a sense of newness surrounds. Neighborhood streets reflect a quietness. A lone squirrel dashes and scampers along bare branches while a couple of birds soar across trees. A neighbor walks her dog and another jogs along. Nature finds her balance and nurtures winter. 

stillness sustained

within patterns of life-

harmony nestles in

©CV, 2020

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The reoccurrence of this scene helped shape my thoughts as  I waited with eager anticipation for the Times Square ball to drop on New Year's Eve. Along with millions of reflective individuals, I decided to use one simple world as an effective way to guide my 2020 journey. In the past, I chose the following words, openness, listen, believe, joy, hope, and embrace. They served me well. This year I looked through the eyes of nature to help me navigate the duality of life and merge my professional and personal sides into a workable flow. 

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In 1917, poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox penned, The Year. This poem quickly became a mentor text for me that further shaped my thoughts about my one word.

What can be said in New Year rhymes,

That's not been said a thousand times?

The new years come, the old years go,

We know we dream, we dream we know.

We rise up laughing with the light,

We lie down weeping with the night.

We hug the world until it stings,

We curse it then and sigh for wings.

We live, we love, we woo, we wed, 

We wreathe our brides, we sheet our dead.

We laugh, we weep, we hope, we fear,

And that's the burden of a year.

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What can be said of a year gone by?

Shall we reflect or wave goodbye?

I think I'll usher in another year

Filled with promise and good cheer

One that lets my imagination fly

To write my simple one word in the sky.
©CV, 2020

I introduce my #OneWord2020: 

BALANCE- 

not a hindrance, nor a burden,

an emergence of thought,

a breath of fresh ideas

interlocking  my two worlds,

professional and personal, 

into a design for an enriched lifestyle.

©CV, 2020

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Why did I choose balance?
In my unretirement days, I have been struggling with finding balance in life. Sometimes my two worlds, professional and personal, intersect and other times they collide; the professional side  often overtakes the personal side. Balance is a word that promotes evenness and harmony just like nature painted a picture of such these past days. Balance has crept up in thoughts and digital inspirations for at least 5 years.

My quest to uncover a balanced life starts with small tasks, positivity, and a quote by Thomas Merton, the inspirational,s 20th Century monk, writer, theologian, social activitist, and poet. 

Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm, and harmony.

Commitment Statement

This year, I enter a new year and a new decade with balance as my one word to :
Bare my soul. 

Align my thoughts.

Linger in solitude.

Always search for peace.

Notice nature's harmony. 

Cease the busyness to find

Evocative moments to savor.
©CV, 2020

"To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven." (Eccl. 3:1)

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I am ready to share my blog post with my fellow writers at Spiritual Journey Thursday. My colleague, Margaret Simon, is our host this month at the beginning of the new decade. Sharing our one word is an annual event. Happy New Year to all!