Grant me the serenity To Accept the things I cannot change. The Courage to change the things I can and the Wisdom to know the difference.
~ 12-Step Program – Prayer of Intent.
Every year for the past 15+++ years, I have a ‘word’ that arrives in my thoughts** that is to represent what the upcoming year will be / mean / present to me. (Yes, all of these!)
**When I say “arrives in my thoughts” that is precisely what I mean. I didn’t contemplate what the word would …[say that fast 5 times! ha!] …or what the word ‘should’ be. I don’t try certain words on for size as I think about what I might want to experience (or NOT experience) for the upcoming year. I may hear a word or phrase in a podcast, or in conversation with someone and say-to-self “huh, that might be a great word.” Yet….. the fact is, I hear the Word in a thought-I-know-I-didn’t-think. Word usually arrives in the waning days of December. This year, on the 23rd.
It did not arrive on gossamer wings. This year, it was more like a fly-over in a bi-plane with the word dropped over the side to whistle earthwards ’til it landed at my feet. Or more precisely, in Mind.
The thing about the Word is that ofttimes it is NOT what I, in my sometimes limited imagination, define that particular word to be. It takes on a meaning of it’s own, in context, again, that I could not begin to imagine.
For example, before the beginning of 2010 I heard the word ‘Change.’ “Well, yippee” I thought. ”That’s a great word.” I too thought of all the positive movements and things I wanted to create change with. Lovely.
Then May first and second happened. (What I call the May Event). It rained. And rained and rained and rained. And rained. Nashville flooded. My home flooded. The ensuing weeks and months brought about Changes that I hadn’t thought of in my wildest sci-fi spooky imagination. Today I can look back at all the amazing people, and events, that surrounded me. But yes-sir-re-bob…..there was Change.
Since that time, I have been rather circumspect as I view the new Word-for-the-year. No conclusions-jumping, no “Oh, I know what that means.” Ha! Live and learn.
Since that “interesting” May, I now spend time looking at the Word from all sides. Multiple definitions. Archaic meanings, social and societal meanings. Recovery. Working with and learning from peeps. Fam and friends. Behaviorally (mine and their’s). And, Spiritually. Meanings. All different facets.
I am not out to ‘cover all bases’ as I know (and Know) that is impossible. Yet the contemplation of the Word opens my Mind up to a vastness otherwise ignored or unseen. I so enjoy mentally-mining the vastness.
This year? The Word is …drumroll…. Acceptance.
Accept, acceptance, accepting.
Accept as in the Serenity Prayer. Not the “accept” of victim, martyr, or co-dependency. No way; no how! Not from myself, nor participating with others.
The ‘Acceptance’ of things I cannot change ~
outside of my Me.
Courage to change the things I can ~ first inside my Me,
then potentially outwards.
And, Wisdom to discern the difference.
Thank you Word.
As a side note, thanks to the ponderings and definitions, there is also Accept “as to receive.” Receive goodness, bounty, abundance of health, and a whole barrel full of wonderfulness. That ah-ha added “a wiggle in the walk and a giggle in the talk.” Woohoo! I accept that too.
So what about you? What have YOU heard?
What is YOUR word that will guide you in 2024?
I showed you mine; I hope you’ll share your’s!
Namaste’