Each Monday this month, I’m offering a prompt to encourage you to reflect on the year. If you think of a friend who might want to play along, would you please share this with them? And if you are that friend reading this now, I welcome you to subscribe so you get notified of the next one.
Hello dear one,
It’s day four of the twelfth month of the year and that basically means December is over (according to the Gregorian calendar I follow).
Okay, let me step back.
Yesterday Apple pinged my iPhone to tell me it had graciously made me a 45-second camera roll of my year. (Thank you corporation A for dictating my memories and sneakily shaping my likes and dislikes). Pessimism aside, the algorithm actually did a decent job at reminding me of all the good times I had in 2023. Which made me think about how our lives really are made up of tiny moments, like Annie Dillard said. And that more often than not, the tiny moments are pretty good, decent, maybe even nice, sometimes quite lovely, most definitely worthy of reflection.
“How we spend our days, is of course, how we spend our lives.” Annie Dillard
A lot happened this year, for me, for you I’m sure, and certainly for our planet earth.
December tends to fly by like a hummingbird chasing one last hit of sugar before the flowers close up shop for the winter. There’s the rush to finish deadlines and the wonderful but endless merriment and traveling home or leaving home and buying gifts or making gifts and baking rugelach or frosting a hundred Christmas cookies and all the earnest effort to finish the unfinished dreams before the push to set new goals smacks us in the face on day one of the new year.
I say we slow down and savor our time a bit more this month because life is precious and we need to give ourselves space to reflect upon what just happened (2023) so that we can step into what’s happening (2024) with more clarity, ease, and aliveness.
So, go forth and be merry. But take a moment with me and reflect, will you?
An invitation:
This week, take 5-15 minutes to write a six-word story about your year. This idea comes from Larry Smith of the Six Word Memoir Project. Why only six words? Because constraints fuel creativity. Constraints get to the heart of the matter.
Six words to sum up 2023. It should read as a sentence (straightforward or poetic, your choice), not a list of random words.
Here’s mine:
Built an addition, still constructing foundation.
Makes you curious, doesn’t it? Good conversation starter.
Your turn. Six words. Go. (If you want to play by the rules).
_ _ _ _ _ _.
If you want to rebel, maybe write a 600 word story? Play along as you wish!
I hope the week is kind to you,
Ryan
P.S. Will you share your story? Will you post your six words in the comments? If you are willing to be seen and maybe make someone else feel seen or laugh (or cry) or wonder what on earth you meant by that one curious word?
Restored homes, self,
Love overcame challenges.
Plum village and GGN saved me.