01_02_2022

Welcoming 2022!

                I began the New Year this morning by reading Sarah Ban Breathnach’s musings for January 1. Today’s entry was headlined with a quote from Rainer Maria Rilke:

“And now let us welcome the New Year, Full of things that have never been.”

                While I was reading and reflecting on the positive offerings of Rilke’s quote, I kept hearing a replay of David Brooks’ referring to 2021 as a shapeless year. I was stuck on the meaning informing his use of that phrase, and I found myself pushing back. My response comes from two internal core beliefs. First, it is within our power to bring shape to our lives, even as we live in these times that necessitate adjusting our lives. I, perhaps incorrectly, read into his statement a sense that the adjustments we’ve had to make are ending the year with a negative balance.

                I do agree that there are important parts of our lives that we’ve had to put on hold this year. We certainly have had to live with limited social contact with others who are not in our pods. We’ve also had to find other ways of nurturing ourselves, finding sanctuaries or spaces in which we can enrich our spirits. I finally decided it would be helpful if I focused on naming the key losses for me within the last year.

                I am an introvert by nature, so having more time to myself has not been a burden. I enjoy quiet time and believe that time for reflection and relaxation is a real gift. That said, I miss spending time with people I’m close with in my favorite environments. I love gatherings organized around food,  so not being able to eat out or entertain others in my home is definitely something I have missed. I miss being able to travel, to go to museums, to spend time at the library reading in a cozy, comfortable nook.

                The fact that we have been homebound has made it more challenging to establish easy mileposts that help keep track of time. I have lost count of how frequently I’ve heard others say that they can’t remember what day it is.

                But here’s where we have a choice to make, and why not think about our options on the first day of the year. As Rilke said, we are starting a new year and with that beginning, we have the opportunity to take steps to give shape to our year.

                I’ll share my outlook that I have found helpful in trying to make effective use of this time period we find ourselves in. I started with accepting the fact that we don’t get to trade these last two-years in for another two-years. We can’t make a bargain with a Super Claims Office that since we feel short-changed by the restrictions during the Pandemic that have forced us to alter our plans, and in exchange, we want two more years added to our life span.

                In other words, the best solution available to us is to explore how we can make the best use of the time we’re given. There are suggestions available in different media on positive ways to spend our time. Taking a walk everyday has proven to be a restorative process, helping me to engage with activities that bring familiarity. When walking, I am surrounded by signs of everyday life: people working in their yards, children playing, people walking their dogs or just walking alone or with other companions. During this time of year, I love noticing the Halloween, Fall, and Winter Holiday decorations on people’s homes. The latter arrangements remind me that people are still finding joy in their lives.

                Within the classes I’m teaching that focus on topics related to our Becoming,  we’ve instituted a practice where every three months we create a brief list of intentions that represent what we hope to achieve during this time period. I think of it as a syllabus, a concept that is a frequent companion in educators’ lives. Here’s what the template that we use looks like; you can modify it to suit your needs.

Course Title:  What do I want to name my journey for the next three months? __________________

Course Description:  Instead of writing a traditional course description, consider creating a Wordle — you can Google Wordle to find directions on how to do it.                                        

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my1JRX84tyc

Hint:  Just make a list of about 50 words or phrases that capture your ideas about going forward

My Intentions:  What would I like to accomplish or pursue during this time?

Course Length:  Choose the time period that you want your syllabus to cover.

Course Activities:  What are your priorities for how you want to spend your time?

Resources/Reading Lists/Study Groups: What  support systems will help you achieve your goals?

Periodic Assessments:  How will you pause to assess how things are going on this journey? Do you want to review your progress on Saturday each week?

How Will You Judge Your Success?

                We don’t have to accept that our time during this period is wasted or shapeless. With effort we can use the time to pursue areas that we’ve wished we had time for in the past. Keep in mind that it is wise to add a dose of what I call intentional kindness to our approach to this work. We have all encountered undetected levels of stress that we experience in relation to having to adjust our plans as a result of the Pandemic. On an off day, it instead of indulging in self-criticism, just take a break and reassure yourself that you will rebound with renewed energy the next day.

                Wishing you a Happy, Healthy, New Year!