December Reflections

The last week in December stands out for me as being unique because holidays are definitely not "business as usual". It's a mixed bag of ups and downs, especially depending on what your year has been like and what's been going on in your life.

For me, 2017 held a series of events, some of them ongoing, that had an unsettling effect. Having said that, however, I also received the gift of looking at life a little differently and with more gratitude because of these previous eleven months.

Loss played a big role in my life this year: my mother, my children's father, and a friend all died with another longtime pal battling a serious health crisis. My 88-year old father decided to sell the house he had lived in for 50 years and moved to Florida. Not only is he now 1400 miles away, I no longer have the ease of using his address as a home base when I travel (which, as you know, is frequently!). Now, one of my sisters is also moving to the sunshine state.

Some of my anchors have disappeared causing me to feel a bit adrift. At the same time, I've also felt amazingly free. More than ever, I'm ready to let the winds of change scoop me up and take me somewhere new. I'm more focused on being grateful for my two sons and daughter and all my family, friends and colleagues. I'm acutely aware of the gifts in my life even as I also feel the gaps of what and who has "disappeared".

Whatever your year has brought you, I hope that you can find the balance. It's OK to feel joy, even while grief is also still present. The dark and the light work together. May you find comfort and hope and, as always, a connection to your Divine Center ... this is what I wish for you.