Looking Back

It's the final month of the year. Usually, we're coming out of the glutton stupor of Thanksgiving and diving headfirst into sparkly lights, spiked eggnog, and holiday shopping. Once the presents are wrapped, then torn open, and the family members are gently but forcefully herded out the door, we sit back and sigh.

*Whew!*

Then, it's New Year's. And as one entity, we collectively lose our breath and go, "What?" 2010 will be over? "What?" We have to get used to writing 2011? I just mastered writing 2010 instead of 2009 like a few weeks ago!

Looking back on the year is our way of hanging on to our momentary life. I call life "momentary" not because in the end, it's utterly brief in the grand scheme of things, but because it is a series of moments. A collection of tiny memories that make up a whole. We may remember that July of 2010, we could barely sleep due to a great amount of stress, but the things we actually remember are flashes of events. 

Yes, we were stressed out that entire month, but we focus on the one memory that happened in the second week where we found ourselves navigating a city we didn't know and encountering crazy drivers that seem to have come out of a movie. That moment defines the entire month and that is the moment we actually remember.

Years from now, we'll forget why we were stressed; but we'll never forget the crazy white-haired man gesturing quite obscenely at us from behind for stopping quite legally at a red light. Thank goodness the light turned green right as he decided to open his door! 

I bring this up now, while we still have Christmas to tackle, because I found something pretty cool from another blog I frequent. It's called Reverb 10 and it's a duo of girls who decided we should take a moment every day in December to reflect back on 2010 and to think forward to 2011. You sign up, and they send you a prompt everyday which you have to answer. I know, I'm joining a little bit late in the game. However, better late than never! 

New Year's Eve, 2009. It's a familiar road, but who knows where it goes.

I thought I would begin at the beginning, looking back to December 1st and answering the prompt for that day:

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? 

Discovery. I've had a lot of ups and downs, a lot of doubts, followed by a lot of frustration. All of that muck in my life? It led me to discover a few things about myself. It helped me discover just how much I can endure before saying, "Enough!" It helped me discover how to pragmatically judge a situation without giving in to emotions that may lead me to make bad decisions. I discovered I'm stronger than I thought I was, but more vulnerable than I should be. It's a process, and I'm certainly not done, but for now, I know I am on that path.

A year from now, I'd like the word for 2011 to be Self. I'd like to find myself in December, 2011, secure in my Self; knowing I spent the year making the right decisions to help further my Self in my accomplishments, happiness, and love.

What is your word for 2010? Why? What do you want your word to be for 2011?

Write it in the comments below.

Happy Vintaging!

Beatrice