Found

I found it. My word for the year.

A couple years ago, I heard of something that really appealed to me: to choose a single word for year and have it for your own. Having a love affair with words, I thought 'How cool! That will certainly bring me focus'. The word SEE came to me immediately. My intention was to create something deep, meaningful & inspirational around my word & carry it with me to let it center & guide me throughout the entire year. I was so excited about the possibilities, sure that my word would take me to great inner depths, to an insight and wisdom that would surely inspire and ignite my spirit. That was January & February. To be perfectly honest, the next time that I thought about My Word was January 1st this year, when it was time to choose a new one. All part of my 'Take-a-half-a-minute-to-put-my-life-in-order' Annual Project.

Now, it would not occur to me that because I had failed to do anything with last year's word, that it was an exercise in futility & unnecessary to choose a word for this year. No, when I like a concept, I stick with it. However, I was a little disappointed in myself that I hadn't taken advantage of it as much as I could have & should have. When I got to thinking about it though, I found that I actually had I lived my word last year - unconsciously it would seem, which makes it even more significant. It was not forced; it became me in such a natural way - such a comfortable fit that I didn't have to spend time fabricating it, assessing or judging my performance.

When I look back now, I am aware of many times last year that I did see, in a much different way than I have before - with great depth & appreciation & intention. I have always loved the palette of the sky, but last year I was in even greater awe & appreciation of it and more than once found myself pulling over on the side of the road to look closer and longer. To SEE it. I have never purposefully come to a full stop before; I have noticed it & enjoyed it & been grateful as I sped along. My word last year was not Look, but SEE - and for a thousand reasons now, I know that it was the right word.

When I didn't immediately have a word this year, I wasn't at all concerned. I don't believe that you can manufacture your word - it's not a Word Search - it has to find you. I knew that I would know My Word when I heard it. And sure enough, it found me yesterday. Totally out of the blue when my mind was no where in that vicinity. I was driving along with the radio on, not actually listening to it, when a word jumped out of whatever conversation was going on. "THAT'S MY WORD!" I said out loud. "EMBRACE". I LOVE that word! I love the image of it, the feel of it, the infinite number of possibilities with it.

I came home & started my list: Embrace LIFE, Embrace FREEDOM, Embrace OPPORTUNITY, Embrace POSSIBILITY, Embrace SILENCE.... it goes on & on with such positive energy that it ignites my spirit at the same time as it wraps it in warmth & care & comfort. I do SO love that word.

This morning, I opened my Book of Words. Just single words that I jot down randomly because I like them, for no particular reason other than I do. I might like the connotation, the place my mind goes when I hear them, or I might just like the way they sound. Like 'Indigo' ... I just like it. And there on the page, the very first word on the list is Embrace. Is that not a sign that it meant to be My Word this year?

Now that I think of it, my opening line here is wrong ... it should not be "I found it." but: She found me.