Finding My #OneWord 2021

As winter settled in last year, a sense of newness brought anticipation. I entered 2020 with the commitment to search for peace, notice nature's harmony, and cease the attitude of being busy all the time. I wanted to slow down and savor evocative nature's moments. Hence, the word balance arose as a guide word at the crossroads of a new year in a new decade. A new grandbaby was born in January; balance was present. In February, we signed a contract to build a new house in Northern Virginia, a sign that a new path was opening. There was a newness evolving but then, by the end of March,  my world was jolted. A pandemic swept through the word, blindsiding everyone. My balance was knocked off-kilter. I tried to keep the balls juggling while balancing my work life with my personal life but there was a disconnect. Clearly, by the end of this year, I needed to re-evaluate and re-imagine a new pathway.  A focus word was needed to restore my balance and bring hope. 

So I pondered, mulled over numerous words, reviewed my previous #onewords: openness, listen, believe, joy, hope, embrace, and balance, and just waited for a 2021 word to appear.

 

New Year's Eve came and went and so did New Year's Day. One word hashtags were seen throughout social media; tweets and blogs shared. I was waiting for a word to appear, a divine sign. Then, I found a quote by Thomas Merton, 20th Century monk, author, theologian, poet, scholar, and social activist.  "We must make the choices that enable us to fulfill the deepest capacities of our real selves."  My word started to emerge. I was ready to renew my life, restore balance, and unfold into a better version of myself.

🥁

My 2021 Commitment Statement

(adapted from A.D. Posey's inspirational quote)

In faith, like a flower, I shall feel myself rise above, begin to open, and begin anew.

via GIPHY

A New Chapter BEGINS.

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. (Lao Tzu)

I'M READY!

And You? When will you begin that long journey into yourself? (Rumi)

As the host of Spiritual Journey Thursday this month, I invite you to share your #OneWord2021 blog post.

And/Or

Leave your #oneword digital at the hastag, #WintersEmbrace 2021, on Twitter.

If interested, I will add it to the Winter's Embrace 2021 Gallery that I am creating. 

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Wish I'd Been There

The spirit of Christmas 2020, as unusual as it was, still lingers in my heart. For the first time since I moved into my Long Island home, I did not place a Christmas tree in my living room. We closed on the house in Virginia during Christmas week so instead of an in-house tree, my small outdoor trees and the front porch were decorated for the season. In addition, we enjoyed the beauty of the magnificent Nassau County Christmas tree. But the smell of Christmas trees continued to make me pine for the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.

WRITING CHALLENGE

While pining for a whiff of an evergreen tree with its fragrant, balsamy smell, I came across the Poetry Sisters challenge for the last month of 2020. I remembered that I wanted to write a blog post on the theme, "Wish I'd Been There". Since there was no time in December, I decided to add it now after researching a special time in history. I turn back the clock to 1931 when the first New York City tree was "decorated with handmade garlands made from the tinfoil ends of blasting caps used in the excavation" of the site. 

In 1933, Rockefeller Center held the first lighting of the tree and made it an annual tradition.  

🌲

Wish I'd 

Been There

Take me 

back in time.

Smell of pine wafting

through city air. Men

huddled together. 

No social distancing,

nor masks needed.

Excavation debris,

backdrop for tree 

lacking festive lights.

Handshakes set the stage.

Holiday phenomenon born.

🟩🟩

©CVarsalona, 2021

🌲

For decades, my family hopped in our car and drove to New York City to be inspired by the Rockefeller Center tree. With a nostalgic wish for those days to return, I bring back the memories in verse. Virtual is the only way to do so since New York City still stings from a deadly pandemic.

Marek Rygielski

⭐

🌲 

Eight

decades later,

Rockefeller Center's tree 

proudly stands illuminated

in festive gold. Brilliant star topper,

accenting a glistening, holiday legend.

Voices from winged angels announce peace.

Wonders never cease, even in the most unusual of times.

🟩

🌲 Happy New Year to All!🌲

Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life

Autumn Gallery Walk Shares #oneword2021 Choices

“At no other time (than autumn) does the earth let itself be inhaled in one smell, the ripe earth." -Rainer Maria Rilke

WELCOME

to

Abundant Autumn Global Gallery

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I invite you to:

Enjoy the simplicity of a gallery of artistic expressions that will get your hygge* on.

(*Danish term for "comfort and coziness that engenders a feeling of well-being".)

Experience a relaxing multimedia gallery walk through autumn amidst the flurry of a pandemic. 

Sit back, inhale the smell of wood-burning fires, fresh scent of the countryside, and the taste of apple cider.  

Embrace the beauty of earth with your senses. Is it not true what F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in The Great Gatsby?

"Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall."

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Be inspired to connect with nature and find peace during an awe walk.

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Pause to listen to a soulful tune by Eric Clapton here. 

Follow the Abundant Autumn playlist here.

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Seek the artist within to create autumn as a celebration of all it brings.

I am autumn

before now I was firefly

today I'm a jack-o-lantern smile

tomorrow my name will be falling leaves

secretly I know my name wood smoke

My dream is to become Jack Frost

My name once was harvest moon

-Linda Mitchell

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Autumn shimmers and shines with positivity.

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Autumn is the eternal corrective. It is ripeness and color and a time of maturity; but it is also breadth, and depth, and distance. What person can stand with autumn on a hilltop and fail to see the spaqn of his or her world and the meaning of the rolling hills that reach to the far horison? -Hal Borland 

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a child stretches

two hands connect with love-

nature's hope

©CVarsalona, 2019

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Even in the midst of a pandemic

↓

↓

and

↓

↓

Then, as earth dropped its radiant veil,

simplicity appeared in the stillness of autumn.

Alan J. Wright, 2020

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In gratitude for

↓

↓

squirrels scavenge

in search of earthly seeds

winter approaches

©CV, 2020

Terje Akke, 2020 Estonia

↓

and

earth seeks renewal and peace

Offered by Steve Kelley

in a new year of possibilities.

🍁🍃🍂

Thank you for joining me on the final gallery walk of 

Abundant Autumn Global Gallery of Artistic Expressions

life journeys forward

crispclean leaves surrender-

autumn's delight

Collaborative image poem by Jackie Yun, @ManjuRajputMSEd, CVarsalona

Photo by #chazchaz via Al Dhalla

🍁🍃🍂 

I extend appreciation to the photographers and poets who offered inspired contributions:

@ManjuRajputMSEd

#chazchaz

Terje Akke

Kathryn Apel

Linda Baie

Jolie Buchanan

Al Dhalla

Michelle Griffin (@math912teacher)

Devin Hartnett

Steve Kelley

Diane Mayr

Linda Mitchell

Kiesha Shepard

Carol Varsalona

Mark Weston

Alan J. Wright

Jackie Yun

@ManjuRajputMSEd

and

Morgan (student)

↓

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For those still waiting fortheir one word 2021 to appear, perhaps this gallery walk has presented you with some fine choices (see highlighted words).

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Previous editions of the Abundant Autumn Gallery:

Abundant Autumn Gallery Unveiled

Welcome to Abundant Autumn Gallery, 2nd Edition 

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Today is the Poetry Friday: Happy New Year hosted by my poet-teacher friend from Haiti, Ruth Hersey. She shares more poetic goodness at her blog site. Please click here.

O Christmas Tree

It's approaching the close of the year. Thoughts about the holiday season in New York City are on my mind. Who knew last December that a pandemic would sweep through the world and change our seasonal rituals. 

In years gone by, my family enjoyed the week between Christmas and New Years Day. We visited 5th Avenue's brightly lit department store windows, the Rockefeller Center tree, and St. Patrick Cathedral but travel to NYC is complicated this year. Driving would be slow and tedious so a change of plans was needed. We decided to visit the Long Island Christmas tree at RXR Plaza instead of trekking into the City. The night was cold but we were bundled in layers. Few people were at the plaza and the ice skating rink totally closed. As we parked the car, I was amazed by the brightness of the moon against the darkness. The multi-colored Christmas tree and brilliant star tree topper were a show stopper, as was the reflection of the tree in the glass building windows.  I stood in awe of the magnificent tree in front of me and kept flicking the camera to catch the best angle. My husband did the same. Even though my hands were freezing, I could not get enough of the beauty of the night sky and the glittering tree.

winter night brilliance

sparkling like gemstones

against an indigo sky

a luminescent moon, a dazzling tree

celebrate seasonal magic

masking pandemic woes

©CV, 2020

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It's Tuesday Slice of Life at Two Writing Teachers.

Quick Note: Turning on the Hallmark channel before bedtime, I was surprised to see the title of the show. "A Christmas Tree Grows in Colorado" shares the story of a town administrator's quest for a magnificent spruce tree to be the town's showpiece. Perhaps this is a serendipitous stroke of writing luck. 

Pandemic Christmas

Christmas Eve 2020: Winds stirred prepping for a storm. A loud howl broke through the night and the beautiful sound of "O Holy Night" floated from a TV broadcast. Bells rang noting the beginning of Midnight Mass. Masked choir singers and an empty church brought to mind how different this Christmas was. 

Christmas Day 2020: Grey sky, light rain, and a distinct coolness called for a cozy stay indoors despite the fact that no tree decorated the living room. The 1940s manger scene and aged decorations were stored away in boxes for an upcoming move. Yet, hope remained. A couple of Zoom meet-ups and phone calls brought family together turning Christmas into an unusual but memorable event. 

Pandemic Christmas

Different in context,

Leaves its indelible mark.

Families meet from distant corners.

Little ones bring a spirit of joy to the occasion

Spreading cheer as voices move virtually.

Happy Holidays to All!

The spirit of Christmas exists despite unusual situations and faces covered in masks.

2021 enters soon providing a new start and fresh possibilities.

🌲🌲🌲

I now turn my attention to the Poetry Friday Roundup at Irene Latham's blog, Live Your Poem. Irene brings us the conclusion of her last ArtSpeak, a beautiful red poem of 2020 with the haunting ending message: let love carry you across all hours.

For those who may have missed the unveiling of the Abundant Autumn Gallery, I offer a Gallery Walk through the 1st edition and second edition for your viewing pleasure. A new edition will appear soon to applaud the artists, poets, writers, and bloggers who present their artistic expression of a season that was Mother Nature's gift to the world during the pandemic.