Core Story

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge

December 31 – Core Story. What central story is at the core of you, and how do you share it with the world? (Bonus: Consider your reflections from this month. Look through them to discover a thread you may not have noticed until today.) (Author: Molly O’Neill)

I'm a seeker, a perpetual student with an insatiable desire to understand things. That includes people--I want to see how others view the world, to see the world through their eyes. I think that's my core story. For today, at least.

Gift

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge

December 30 – Gift Prompt: Gift. This month, gifts and gift-giving can seem inescapable. What’s the most memorable gift, tangible or emotional, you received this year? (Author: Holly Root)

As a facilitator of expressive writing groups, I'm privileged to watch people fall in love with the poetry therapy process and rediscover themselves on the page. It's very rewarding work. The most memorable gift I received this year was the comment made by a 78-year-old writer at the end of one of our weekly sessions: "This is the writing group I have been looking for my entire life." He died a few weeks later, but not before blessing every member of that group with his poetry, his giving spirit, his presence. Especially me.

Defining Moment

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge

December 29 – Defining Moment. Describe a defining moment or series of events that has affected your life this year. (Author: Kathryn Fitzmaurice)

The phone call came on January 12 around 4:00 PM. When I listened to the recorded message, I could tell from the flat affect in my sister-in-law's voice that something was terribly wrong with my brother. I was unable to reach her for two hours. Two very long hours. When I arrived at the hospital, I heard the news that has changed the lives of our entire family. Those were dire days. He's doing better now, but he hasn't fully recovered from the brain bleeds he had that day, and may never. But he's walking and talking, and working hard to retrain his brain. Short term memory is the area that has been compromised the most. I've paid much more attention to life this year, every little detail. It's so short, and it changes so quickly.

Achieve

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge  

December 28 – Achieve. What’s the thing you most want to achieve next year? How do you imagine you’ll feel when you get it? Free? Happy? Complete? Blissful? Write that feeling down. Then, brainstorm 10 things you can do, or 10 new thoughts you can think, in order to experience that feeling today. (Author: Tara [...]

I think that one of the reasons I have been so resistant to most of these Reverb10 prompts is that they are so "cookbook." I hate to say it, but they are a lot like the creative writing prompts I gave my 5th and 6th graders when I taught middle school. It's no wonder so many of my students just stared at their blank notebooks. So I'm rewriting this one, making it more like what I would give to my current writing groups. Open-ended.

Write from the word achieve...

I've achieved a lot of things in my life, many of which I intended. Sometimes I think that my life didn't start until I achieved retirement, and at that point, I thought I was through achieving. Through striving. I was wrong, of course. The next four years were some of the hardest and most fulfilling times of my life. I wouldn't trade them for anything, but I sure wouldn't want to relive them. Setting and reaching goals takes discipline and courage, but mostly discipline. It was hard for me to put my nose to the grindstone after retiring from 30 years of doing just that. But in order to reach my goal, that's just what I had to do. So now I claim to be through achieving, once and for all. And I'm wise enough to know that it doesn't work that way. I'm just in a holding pattern.

I prefer living with as little stress as possible, or with only the ordinary stresses of everyday living, and the occasional "bombs" that drop from time to time. For that reason, I tend to avoid the "achievement list," goal-setting, and the like. If I really want to do something, I do it. Never mind if it's hard or easy.

It seems to me that "accomplish" is an easier word to work with. As in, "What did you accomplish today, or this year?" "Achieve" seems weightier, makes me think of someone climbing up a very large, slippery triangle with the word "GOAL" balanced precariously on the top. Let someone else go that route. Not me.

I don't make a list of accomplishments, either. At the end of each day, I reach for my bedside journal and try to capture the day in at least 3 words. If I'm feeling poetic, it'll be three words, or a haiku of 17 syllables. If I'm uninspired, it'll be like one of those 3-line "Dear Diary" entries in a 5-year daily journal. On good days it's just something like "Laundry, crickets, the full moon."

So, what do I want to achieve next year? One thing for sure: to write at least 3 words in my bedside journal every night. Three words that sum up my day. Anything else is gravy.

Ordinary Joy

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge   

December 27 – Ordinary Joy. Our most profound joy is often experienced during ordinary moments. What was one of your most joyful ordinary moments this year? (Author: Brené Brown)

We were returning home from a small country town, after an evening meeting. Since I wasn't driving, I decided to practice being aware of only the present moment. There's a particular stretch of this rural highway where, as the road descends from ridge into valley, the woods crowd close to the shoulders. As we drove through this area, even though it was dark, I was suddenly aware of the power of the trees, could almost hear them. It made me wonder: how much do I miss each and every day, simply because I am too busy going somewhere else, rather than being where I am?

Soul food

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge

Prompt: Soul food. What did you eat this year that you will never forget? What went into your mouth & touched your soul? (Author: Elise Marie Collins)

New favorite food: Baby Bok Choy, garlic and shitake mushrooms sautéd in olive oil then steamed with Shoyu. One of those vegan/macrobiotic dishes that makes me feel good down to my toes. As for touching my soul, food would only do that because it's part of this wonderful universe. Many things touch my soul, most especially nature. And a few select people. You know who you are...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Photo

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge  

December 25 – Photo – a present to yourself. Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and [...] (Author: Tracey Clark)

Really! I'm still waiting for that one. Maybe it's the impossible shot. I'm so elusive. Ha ha.
 

Is it possible to capture someone in a photo? I've never seen a photo of me that captured who I am. Maybe I'm totally different on the inside.

If you read this blog post (or non-post), why don't you answer it? I would be interested to know if you have such a photo of yourself.

Everything’s OK

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge 

December 24 Prompt – Everything’s OK. What was the best moment that could serve as proof that everything is going to be alright? And how will you incorporate that discovery into the year ahead? (Author: Kate Inglis)

It happened in June. I voiced an idea that had been swimming around in my head for a while, and an answer came immediately. I mean, immediately, as in less than a second. The idea held potential complications and many unknowns, and the answer took care of them all. I'm still amazed.

I've learned over and over that when I trust my intuition and take the leap of faith, the Universe responds. As the new year unfolds, I will be going into uncharted territory once again. I'm more confident this time that the path will reveal itself as I put one foot in front of the other.

New Name

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge 

December 23 Prompt: New name. Let's meet again, for the first time. If you could introduce yourself to strangers by another name for just one day, what would it be and why? (Author: Becca Wilcott)

I might have gone for this a couple of decades ago. But not now. I am quite content to be who I am these days, so I'm not interested in pretending to have a different name or a new persona. However, I am changing daily, so you'd better keep a sharp eye out.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Travel

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge

December 22 – Travel How did you travel in 2010? How and/or where would you like to travel next year? (Author: Tara Hunt)

How did I travel? What does that mean? By car? By plane? By the hardest?

I think I traveled by roller coaster. That's the kind of year it has been. Family illness, my illness, the house's illness, all of which are ongoing, but getting better. This has been a year of change, and all the ups and downs have brought me to the same place: it's winter, and I'm hibernating. Looking inward. Lighting a candle in this cave and studying my shadow. Not afraid of the dark, I'm facing it with curiosity. Looking at myself honestly. For real. That's so hard, but if not now, when?

How and where would I like to travel next year? The year has already begun, and the journey. I can see only as far as my next step. Are you brave enough to travel with me?

Future Self

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge 

December 21 – Future Self. Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead? (Bonus: Write a note to yourself 10 years ago. What would you tell your younger self?) (Author: Jenny Blake)

I would give the same message to both my future 69-year-old self and my past 54-year-old self--this quote from Plato: "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." What I have learned over the years, frequently the hard way, is that the stupid stuff other people do is brought on by their inner turmoil or distraction. Same as me. Sometimes it's easier to forgive others for their stupidity than to forgive myself. Maybe I should rephrase the quote: "Be kind to yourself, for you are fighting a hard battle just like everyone else." 

This is the first day of the Winter Solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. I was unable to view the eclipse of the full moon last night because of a thick cloud cover. However, I did notice how brightly backlit the clouds were until the eclipse began; then it was significantly darker. I fell asleep before the moon was completely covered.

Already I feel the excitement of anticipation as the new year begins to unfold. I expect this to be a year of great learning and growth for me. It's winter, and, like the great oak trees in our front yard, I'm sending my roots deep into the earth so I can stay anchored and strong in times of adversity. In the darkness, light begins to grow.

"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer."--Albert Camus

Beyond Avoidance

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge 

December 20 – Beyond Avoidance. What should you have done this year but didn’t because you were too scared, worried, unsure, busy or otherwise deterred from doing? (Bonus: Will you do it?) (Author: Jake Nickell)

What should I have done this year? I don't should on myself anymore. I simply make choices, and accept responsibility for the consequences of those choices. No more shoulding. I've shoulded myself practically to death my entire life. No more. As Yoda said (sort of), "Do or do not...there is no should."

Healing

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge

December 19 – Healing. What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2011? (Author: Leonie Allan)

Is anyone ever completely healed? I think healing is a process. I've often thought I was healed of some emotional hurt, only to feel it reappear out of nowhere. Eastern medicine says that all emotions, from the time we are born to the present, are stored in our cells. No wonder they keep cropping up at odd times, but especially when we are in a physically weakened state.

So, while acknowledging that I am in the process of being healed, rather than healed, I would have to say that QiGong and the macrobiotic diet are the primary reasons. I've written about macrobiotics recently, so I won't repeat myself here. The QiGong practice I've been learning for the past two years is based on medical QiGong. The basic idea is that stagnant energy needs to be cleared from the body and the organs need to be toned, all on a daily basis. When energy stagnates in the body over a period of time, disease and/or disorder sets in. QiGong gets the energy moving in a very flowing, non-stressful way. I find it very meditative.

I look forward to continued healing in 2011 of body, mind, and spirit. More writing, healthy eating, QiGong practice, exercise, meditation, SoulCollage and art journaling should do it. And love. Let's not forget love.

Try

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge

December 18 – Try. What do you want to try next year? Is there something you wanted to try in 2010? What happened when you did / didn’t go for it? (Author: Kaileen Elise)

 I want to try to establish a regular art practice. I don't mean that I want to "become an artist." I simply want to practice playing with art materials. In other words, have fun making art for art's sake. I did a little bit in 2009, but put it away when I got busy with other things. Even if I set aside one day a month to make little books, or one day a week to play at art journaling in those cheap composition books, that would be enough. It feels so good to let go and mess around with paint and paper. I want to play more in 2011.

Lesson Learned

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge

December 17 – Lesson Learned What was the best thing you learned about yourself this past year? And how will you apply that lesson going forward? (Author: Tara Weaver)

I've learned that my body has limits and that I would do well to pay attention to them.

I've had to accept the fact that my "cast-iron" stomach "rusted" and I can no longer eat whatever I want.

I've learned that food tastes fabulous without butter after all, and that there is life without cheese.

I've learned the benefits of miso, umeboshi, quinoa, and wakame, and how to pronounce them.

I no longer live to eat. I eat to live a long, healthier life.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Friendship

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge 

December 16 – Friendship. How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst? (Author: Martha Mihalick)

I write with two groups of women who are extraordinary. Some of us have been writing with each other for 6-1/2 years. Over the years, we have peeled the layers from our selves and revealed our souls. There is no longer any shame or fear. We are who we are and can be absolutely real in each others' presence. Writing has done this, and the poetry therapy process has been the catalyst. We have met together almost weekly, setting aside one morning a week as THE time to explore our thoughts and hearts in the presence of others. We were strangers in the beginning, and the friendships grew slowly. The transition was so gradual, I didn't even notice for a while.

A large network of like-minded people has grown from the contacts in these core groups. I am amazed to watch it expand almost daily, reassuring me that there are sane, caring people all over the world, lots of them. We are beginning to find each other. The process is exciting.

5 Minutes

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge  

December 15 – 5 Minutes. Imagine you will completely lose your memory of 2010 in five minutes. Set an alarm for five minutes and capture the things you most want to remember about 2010. (Author: Patti Digh)

8 Eastern Bluebirds on the birdbath at the same time, on a snowy January day.
20 Goldfinches on the thistle feeder, with 20 more on the ground below.
Hearing my brother's voice for the first time after his brain bleed, two months later.
Watching a coyote stroll through the backyard.
Started a novel. Why, I don't know.
Listened to Joy Harjo read her poetry, in person.
After the devastating flood in May, everyone pitched in to help those in need.
Lost 40 pounds without trying, all because of acid reflux.
Learned what "macrobiotics" means.
Began doing QiGong exercise routine on my own, on a regular basis.
Bought a frame drum, started learning to play.
Watched a hummingbird taking a bath in the birdbath, skimming across the surface like a hovercraft.
The moon. Always the moon.

Okay, so I cheated. This took longer than 5 minutes. It was really cool, though, because I got to see the advantage of keeping my "sum up the day in as few words as possible" journal. I made the list by skimming through the short entries. It was easy to catch the highlights.

Appreciate

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge 

December 14 – Appreciate What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it? (Author: Victoria Klein)

Haha! Umeboshi plums. These little suckers are life savers when I'm stricken with an attack of gastric reflux. When my esophagus starts throbbing--which thankfully doesn't happen often anymore, since I'm following a macrobiotic diet most of the time--I head for the refrigerator and reach for those beautiful, orange, pickled plums. Just a pinch is all it takes, usually, and soon the acid calms down and my esophagus is safe. And if I'm not at home, I use those tiny little Umeboshi Plum Balls in the pocket dispenser. Thanks to my friend Ginger for giving me a box of those.

This year I'm singing the praises of Umeboshi plums. Maybe I'll write an ode...

Action

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge 

December 13 – Action. When it comes to aspirations, it’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step? (Author: Scott Belsky)

Well, my first step (sorry, Scott) is to step aside for awhile. I've been on a fast track for the past four years, and have been doing some things because I had to, then when I no longer had to, I kept doing them, because. Because? So I'm stopping for a few months. Spending time reassessing. Sitting down and watching the river flow beneath the bridge. Maybe a game or three of Poohsticks. Some serious writing time for sure. Though it doesn't look like much action is involved, there really is. It's just evolving. Slowly. But first I need to go look at the moon. Have you seen it tonight?

Body Integration

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge

December 12 – Body Integration. This year, when did you feel the most integrated with your body? Did you have a moment where there wasn’t mind and body, but simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present? (Author: Patrick Reynolds)

You know that moment, just before waking fully, when you're in the doorway between dream and awake? It's that space in which I'm aware of body and spirit, but mind hasn't taken over yet. Those few times when I've been able to linger there, I've felt fully alive and present. Waking up to an alarm clock causes the door to slam shut. I like to awaken slowly, when I can, feel my body against the mattress, and watch the sunlight slip in through the closed blinds and paint the ceiling. My mind is free of judgment. Everything just is. The moment doesn't last long--ego is all too ready to take over and get the day rolling. I enjoy it when I can.

I did it!

I got over myself. For a few minutes, anyway. I figured that since I'd managed to come up with a response to the #reverb10 prompts for 11 days running, I could get past my non-commitment and sign up, for Pete's sake. So now we'll see how committed I stay for the rest of the month.

Establishing a new habit takes how long? 21 days? Once I get past day 31 and start using my own prompts or begin gathering them from new sources, I'd like to keep up the daily, or mostly daily, postings. I've been inspired by my friend Marushka, who took a blog challenge several months ago and has kept it up almost daily ever since.

One of the issues I deal with--and I'm sure I'm not alone in this--is public versus private. Do I really want to air my private thoughts in front of a bunch of faceless strangers? When I write my Morning Pages (as in, Julia Cameron), I let my thoughts flow without restriction. I'm used to writing a bunch of whatever in order to get to something, so I have a hard time editing myself from the start, and that's what posting to my blog feels like. I've spent most of my life editing myself in various ways, so it's probably time to let it go. I mean, really, who cares? And people, faceless strangers and all, would probably rather read genuine rambles rather than edited junk. (See? I just edited myself again.)

The other night I was struck once again by what Francesca says in the letter to her children in the movie The Bridges of Madison County: "It's hard to write this to my own children. I could let this die with the rest of me, I suppose. But as one gets older, one's fears subside. What becomes more and more important is to be known--known for all that you were during this brief stay. How sad it seems to me to leave this earth without those you love the most ever really knowing who you were." Not that my family will ever read my blog or my journals. They'll probably pitch them out with the long underwear. But, I do want to be known to someone. I think we all do. And when we reveal even a hint of our deeper thoughts, others are reassured that they're "not the only ones" who think that way. Or they're challenged by my thoughts. Don't we all need to be challenged on occasion? I know I do.

Another reason/excuse I've had for not posting very often in the past is that I'm usually "written out" by the time I sit down at the computer. I try to do 3 Morning Pages every day and at bedtime I write in a mini journal, where my goal is to sum up the day in a minimum of 3 words. I may skip the longer writing, but I never skip the mini journal. I'm amazed to see how those 3 words have captured the year when I reread all 365 entries at once.

Okay, enough rambling. Time--no, past time--for the Morning Pages. Should have done them first, but, well, you wouldn't be reading this if I had.

Things

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge

December 11 – Things. What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life? (Author: Sam Davidson)

1. Undervaluing myself. I am worthy, talented, and creative.

2. Heartburn. I am so over it. (I wish.)

3. More stuff. I'm ready to do some major pitching. Nix on more storage bins.

4. Procrastination. It's time to check some major things off my To Do list. As soon as I can find it. First thing I'm going to do: the Living Will.

5. That bin on the closet floor with the old towels in it. And I was saving them for what?

6. The weeds in the St. Francis garden (so named because of the generic statue). Time to reclaim that beautiful, shady space.

7. The rest of the daylilies. Why get rid of them, you ask? Because the deer eat the buds before they bloom anyway. Might as well let someone else enjoy them.

8. Small thinking. I want to make wide brushstrokes in my life this year.

9. Waiting for Godot. I've wasted way too much time over the years waiting on someone else to make a move, or for something to happen. Next year, I'm taking charge, every chance I get.

10. Dust. I will banish it on a regular basis, and give up wishing it won't come back.

11. Indecision. Another form of procrastination. I'm going to quit wasting time studying a decision from 45 different angles before tossing a coin. If I make a less-than-perfect decision, I'll look at it as a learning opportunity.

Wow, look at me. I came up with 11 things and put them down without spending too much time trying to come up with "the perfect list." See, I'm getting there. But I'm sure glad next year isn't 2050...

Wisdom

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge

December 10 – Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out? (Author: Susannah Conway)

What is wisdom? Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines it as:

1 a : accumulated philosophic or scientific learning : knowledge
b : ability to discern inner qualities and relationships : insight
c : good sense : judgment

I think the synonyms sum it up pretty well: wisdom is judgment (of a course of action) based on knowledge and insight. I've made a lot of decisions this way in the last twelve months, many of them important, so it's hard to choose just one.

The first big one was to stop. In order to start healing my esophagus and digestive system, I stopped thinking that I could eat and drink whatever I wanted and keep my health. I quit listening to the big food industries and started paying attention to my body. Slowly but surely, it's healing. I'm eating a mostly vegan/macrobiotic diet and adjusting to life without wine, cheese and tomatoes. Oh, and chocolate. Sigh!

The second major wise decision was to give up. I gave up the notion that I need to have a physical office space in order to be a professional. I quit renting the space I'd had for four years as of July 1. The amazing thing is, the second I voiced the idea that I might do this, I had two offers of free space in which to hold my writing groups. Without the pressure of meeting the monthly rent, I began to feel the seeds of creativity breaking open. Stay tuned.

The third flash of wisdom was to hibernate. After five years of facilitating two writing groups on a weekly basis, I'm taking several months off. Hiding out. Resting. Aging in a vat of creative juices. Hopefully, at the end of this process, I'll say it was a very good year, and a wise decision.

Party (or as Ed Stivender would say, "Party, Party, Party")

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge

December 9 – Party Prompt: Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans. (Author: Shauna Reid)

Today I attended a party like no other: the annual Christmas gathering of the Women Who Write Loudly, a group of women who have been writing together weekly for more than six years. There were nine of us. The food was simple and delicious, the mimosas sweet. We wore whatever we were in the mood to wear. No one tried to outshine anyone else. As we talked and noshed, everyone listened and was heard. There was no mindless chatter, like you hear at many social events. Most talk was about changing life situations, and touched on the spiritual. We laughed. We cried.

A group member who hadn't been around in a while was there, and it felt as though she had never been gone. This is a group like no other. Not because of special chemistry, although that is definitely a factor, but because of deep commitment and honesty. The Women Who Write Loudly won't be gathering weekly like we have in the past, but whenever we gather in the future, we'll be just like we were before, only more so. I feel privileged to be a member of this group, and honored to have led it for four of the six years. Thank you, WWWL. You rock!

Beautifully Different

December 8 – Beautifully Different. Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful. (Author: Karen Walrond)

What do I do that lights people up? Maybe my dry wit, which I learned from my father. What makes me different? My head is usually in the clouds, so I'm seeing things differently, or I'm just seeing things.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Community

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge

December 7 – Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011? (Author: Cali Harris)

I am in a community of writers. We write for the love of expressing ourselves, and to find out what we didn't know we knew. Over the years, this community has grown, shrunk, grown again. In 2010 I connected more deeply with two specific groups of writers, and I hope to continue those connections next year. Since I am taking some time off in 2011, I am open to exploring ways to stay connected online, not as a substitute to writing together in person, but as an outgrowth.

Making Stuff

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge

December 6 – Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it? (Author: Gretchen Rubin)

I do like to make things. Years ago, I made many of my own clothes, knitted Christmas stockings for my friends' children, baked cakes and breads, canned vegetables, grew flowers, all the domestic stuff. (All while working full time, of course.) When I was in my teens, I liked doing collages just for fun. They weren't very artistic, but I enjoyed the process of making art. Since it wasn't practical, though, I didn't keep it up. (You can't wear a collage, you know.)

Now in my 60's, I feel very self-conscious when I sit down to make art, so I don't do it very often. A year or so ago, I tried my hand at art journaling for several months. It was fun, but the Practical Puritan in me kept reminding me that it had no purpose other than fun, so I eventually let it drop. I enjoyed messing around with paints and ephemera (catch word for all kinds of otherwise useless stuff), cutting things with scissors, gluing, and making an otherwise boring composition book look funky. I miss that. I need to put PP in her place and get my hands messy again. So what if it isn't practical?

Let Go

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge

December 5 – Let Go

What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why? (Author: Alice Bradley)

This year I let go of my life-long habit of eating and drinking anything I wanted. Late in 2009 I began having severe symptoms of acid reflux. To make a long story short, I had to give up meat, dairy, sugar, refined foods, and stimulants (including decaf coffee and tea), because the meds couldn't keep up with the acid production. Did I mention tomatoes? I had to let go of tomatoes. That was sad. But not as sad as chocolate. That was the saddest. I lost bunches of weight and now weigh less than I did when I was 16.

Wonder

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge

December 4 – Wonder. How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year? (Author: Jeffrey Davis)

Read poetry everyday.

Watched the fawns grow from silken, spotted babies to adolescents over the summer.

Wrote with friends twice a week.

When walking the dog, took my camera with me and captured close-ups of mosses, bark, fungi, and insects.

Read poetry everyday.

Gazed at the moon.

Memorized "Autumn Sonnet" by May Sarton.

Watched the birds at the birdbath and feeders outside the kitchen window.

Read poetry everyday.

Cultivate a sense of wonder by slowing down. Stop long enough to notice your breath. That's pretty wonderful, and miraculous, too.

Moment

Reverb's Prompt-a-Day Blog Challenge
December 3 – Moment

Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors). (Author: Ali Edwards)

I've thought about this all day, but really don't want to write about it. The moment that sticks out most in my mind took place on January 12. It was after supper, and I was driving down Harding Road, on my way to St. Thomas Hospital. Just a few minutes earlier, I had gotten a phone call from my sister-in-law telling me that my older brother had had a brain aneurysm and was in critical condition. There was nothing I could do, but I was going anyway. Support for her, support for him, but mostly because staying at home would have driven me crazy. So, there I was, gripping the steering wheel and fighting back tears so I could see to drive. Praying, no, arguing and bargaining with God to keep my brother alive. Fear filled me, then acceptance of whatever was to come. Then I went into automaton mode, where every cell of my body fought to keep my brother alive while pretending to keep me alive. I was a woman divided.

Odd, isn't it, that fear and grief are what made me feel so alive...

Writing

December 2 – Writing. What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it? (Author: Leo Babauta)

One more thing. I think of one more thing that needs my attention before I sit down to write. Maybe it's unload/load the dishwasher. Or put in another load of laundry. Don't the plants need watering? What if I forget to make that all-important phone call after I finish my writing session? A friend of mine keeps Post-It notes on her desk so she can capture those distracting "must dos" without breaking her stride. I could try that. I can eliminate my "one more thing" obsession by making writing my priority instead of what I do after everything else is done...but I still like the "righteous" feeling that comes as I sit at my desk, listening to the hum of the washing machine.

One word

I'm sorta kinda participating in a prompt-a-day blog challenge, led by a group called #reverb10, designed to get you to "reflect on this year and manifest what's next." There's a different prompt author each day. When you sign up, you promise to post a response either on your blog or with a tweet every day for the month of December. (It doesn't have to be words--you can post pictures as well.) When I say sorta kinda, what I mean is that I didn't sign up officially, but I plan to do it. Or try to do it. I don't like to make promises I might not be able to keep, and with the way my life has been going, that's a real possibility. But the operative word is "try." So, here goes.

December 1 One Word.
Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?
(Author: Gwen Bell)

Change. There have been some major changes in my life this year, starting with my older brother's illness. In January he went from being an on-top-of-things banker to an invalid when a brain bleed--cause still unknown--struck him down. He's walking and talking now, but it's still a scary ride. Family dynamics are still changing, too.

Change. My health. 2010 was the year I went from size 12/14 to 6/8 without trying, thanks to acid reflux. The year I became mostly vegan/mostly macrobiotic out of necessity. I'm still getting used to myself.

Change. Water, water everywhere. The house didn't get flooded in May like so many in the area, but we have been dealing with moisture for months. As in, the roof still leaks and nobody can figure out where it's coming from.

Change. Inner, spiritual. I'm not sure what direction I'm beginning to move in, but change is definitely in the air. I'm taking a 9-month sabbatical from my poetry therapy work to explore it. More like a hibernation or a self-styled retreat. I'm curious. Stay tuned, she says to herself.

What word do I hope I will be able to say captures 2011? Balance. (Ha! I've been after that one for more years than I care to count.)