The starting point is hope

They say they older one gets the faster time moves. True. Hard to believe, yet, we are in a new year. 2012 is a year when we will elect a president and find inspiration in another Summer Olympiad. This year I need to go slow and follow the, at times, not so subtle nudges; such as the person I pass on the street saying, "Slow down, you move too fast (I do not believe the person is a lyricist). Or, the many times, persons say, "I know how busy you are...." What I know is it is up to me and how I choose to spend my time, my talents, and myself. I choose this year to be one where I stop. I look. I listen. I hold hands with the community I am forming. And, I cross into the center of who I am. It's been far too long since I've spent any real, deep, lasting time there....it will be good to be back and, yes, I plan to live there......

In journeying to my center, I find energy around my desire to write, to share, to engage others. This blog begun this first week of a new year is the start.

The winter landscape lends itself as partner to my journey. More so than other years, I have really noticed the bare, starkness of the trees. I find them to be beautiful in their nakedness. The cold of the season (I really long for the temperature to get below freezing and stay there) draws me inside and gives permission to stop and stay safe at home and keep company with a good book, a cup of tea and a blank journal or an empty screen.

Thank you for being a companion on the journey and sharing your insights. As is true for any road trip, a good communicator, a good listener, an observant eye, a good humor, and a spirit of adventure make for a successful journey.

The journey begins with hope. Sometimes it can be difficult to see hope. Included in this blog post is a "Hope Tracker" providing daily evidence. I invite you to share your experience of noticing the tracks of hope.

Let us begin.

sj;