Do you make resolutions?
Do you love the fresh start of a new calender, a new year, and all the potential it holds?
In many ways I guess I do. I am a list-maker, so the idea of a fresh clean sheet of paper that is my year upon which to scribble all my dreams and goals makes me a little giddy. I don't consciously set ot to resolve or change anything because of the New Year; rather it just is a natural progression of a new season and empty page.
I've set a lot of goals in the past few years. And I've met enough of them to be satisfied. Most of those goals will keep growing and shifting and will work their way into 2012 as well.
~We've begun the never-ending process of simplifying our home and our life. Now is the time to breathe a little life back into those efforts. Letting go of things was healing on many levels and I'm ready to tackle the basement this season.
~We've grown our business and moved it out of our house and into a new professional space. That's huge. Now is time to boost our efforts to ensure its continued success. I am jumping back into the active running of the business (something that has fallen mostly to Pete for the past couple of years) and will have a partial work day five days a week. This is huge. You can tell because I actually bought a watch.
~I put by more food this year than ever before, and my garden was a source of joy and satisfaction. I'm ready to keep learning and expanding my efforts towards a self-sufficient life. I'm enjoying this book so much and it has me contemplating getting away a bit from canning and moving more towards another goal, root cellaring.
But we're still dreaming. One thing that is still materializing is our farm. Our land. Our bit of earth to sink roots deep down into the coolness of. We're ready. Last night Lupine began to spontaneously play "Do you know why I'm glad we live in the country now?" which, as it turns out, is a game where we speak in the present tense about something we are wanting, for example our favorite aspects of country living. (She's a stellar manifestor that one. Just like her brother.)
She told me that she's my egg girl. That we need to build the coop close enough to the house that she can gather the eggs everyday all by herself and if there are any chicks that have hatched out she'll scoop them up and snuggle them and pet their soft feathers.
She told me that she's going to help me milk the cow and the sheep and that maybe she'll help shear.
She told me that we'll make candles if we don't have electricity.
She told me that her favorite part of living in the country (other than the animals) would be making fairy houses down by the creek out of sticks and moss.
And it got me dreaming, too.
I'm glad we live in the country because... because I can see the sun rise over my garden and set behind the woods each day. Because I can throw open the door and the kids can run off to their magical places and dig deep and dream the dreams that will set the course of where they go from here. Because the soundtrack of my night dreams should be night sounds should be whippoorwills and barred owls and coyotes and crickets.
The second big dream for the coming year is to move forward on my book. I get distracted and need a focused plan to start making some progress. Every time I look at the outline I'm pleasantly surprised at the layout. (Why it keeps surprising me I have no idea.) And I'm thrilled with how much I've gotten done so far. Now is the time to dig in and schedule time to write. (See - that watch is going to come in handy again.)
Yes. I think I'm ready. Bring it on, 2012!
How about you? What satisfaction did 2011 bring you and what dreams are you setting forth for 2012?
