And We're Off!

I am out of the gate and running; 2012 is officially off to a very promising start. New Year's Eve was a family event of course with both sets of parents coming over for meat dinner. Doris and daughter rounded out our table of eight - it felt like a big fat present! I can never get enough of family time.

I expected to spend the first day of the new year in quiet reflection and contemplation. The universe had other ideas, with a day of random, unplanned visits and connections.

It was a carry-over from yesterday's numerous phone calls to catch up with loved ones.  My friend Shirley called to announce she was a new grandmother and we shared a moment reveling in this exciting new chapter of her life. Her grandson was the first baby born in his community and is getting all the goodies and attention that goes with it.

Then Jilly called to ask if she could swing by for a visit. I could feel the effort she was making to the promise we made to to spend more time together. We sat at opposite ends of the couch, Fritz flopped in her lap, catching up, laughing, enjoying the ease of our friendship. Another blessing!

The day rounded out with a call from my far away Cuz. Far away Cuz is a special gift ... although we are first cousins, we never met one another until just a few years ago. How wonderful to discover a kindred spirit who is just months older than me, who named her daughter the same as Kidlet, and who shares a similar philosophy to life! We definitely feel the family connection and have lots to chat about. After about three and a half hours had passed and we were saying our goodbyes, the reality of the phone bill she will get sunk in. Yikes! We agreed that when life is bristly and the day a little difficult, the best way to pull yourself up is to make a gratitude list. So Cuz, today, on this very sparkly, shining first day of 2012, I   am grateful for your far-away kinship and for having you in my life. I am also grateful for more loving hearts than I have chairs at my table; the abundance in my life; and for this blog through which I tell myself that which I most need to learn whispering into my own ear ...

If I had to pick one word to sum up 2011 for me, it would be giving. This year I will try to make it be connections. The year has definitely started off on the right foot. Happy new year everyone.