2015's Word

I forget exactly when I started choosing a word for each year. It was a few years ago, after I’d read a post on a blog I follow and the author chose a new word for each year. Something she wanted to focus on, something she wanted to change. It seemed like a pretty cool idea, and so I gave it a try. 2014’s word was “new” (funny, I thought that it was at least 2012, but this blog tells me otherwise!) and it seemed like 2015 was leaning towards the same. Because I can use the same word two years in a row, right? It seemed like that what was fitting when I thought about it, sought for what 2015’s “word” was. But even still, I knew that things don’t work like that. It’s when I completely empty out my mind, when I follow the notion of “now” that I pick out the slip that lets me compliment the person I wanted (if any old choir friends read this, they know what I mean). It’s the words that pop into my head unexpectedly, such as “Denise, cancer” when all of the youth at a summer camp I attended were told to ask God for a word or two and, as it turned out, the mother of a boy I knew, Denise, was battling cancer. Or guessing exactly the right number of something. So why would this be any different? Why wouldn’t my word just pop in my head as I was listening to a Taylor Swift mash up at 1:30 in the morning?

So what’s 2015’s word?

Be.

I want to be more present in all areas of my life.

I want to be wholeheartedly dedicated to all that it is I do.

I want to be with the ones who are right in front of me, not be on my phone.

I want to be healthier and exercise more.

I want to be more involved in the lives of my family members and friends.

I want to be closer to God, more aligned with his plans for my life.

I want to be not only content, but happy with everything that I have and am.

I’m incredibly excited for all that 2015 is going to be (didn’t even plan that one). I am aiming for it to include more time in this space here, but as I pursue other endeavors, I know this might sometimes take a back seat. We’ll just see what happens.