clean slate

“And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been” - Rainer Maria Rilke

a breath of fresh air, a blanket of untouched snow, a brand-new notebook and pen.  the calendar's page has been turned and it is all, finally, new again.  i'd been looking to the start of the new year with more anticipation than usual, and rightly so, i believe.  as i told a friend i hadn't seen in a while, i'd had an exceptionally shitty year.  more than i recall ever feeling, i was beyond ready to put the year behind and begin anew.

there were amazing, beautiful events and happenings last year.  the birth of my nephew tops the list.  his small smile lights up my days.  i am looking forward to seeing him grow and learn.  i got to spend a lot of time with my friends.  granted, the occasion regularly left us wanting, but the magic of my friends is they make my world so much better.  the bad is drowned out by their love - and searing sarcasm.  making lemons out of lemonade, there were many, many absurd moments where my family and i found ourselves laughing in spite of it all.  i made some new friends.  i visited all my happy places - bone lake, siesta key, state college, and, finally, windy hill.

over the new years holiday i was able to cross-country ski and downhill ski.  thank goodness for the past three months of crossfit, otherwise i would have been entirely useless.  i gorged myself on fondue and enjoyed loud "family" dinners with my friends.  it was a step on my ever-changing path of living life fully and despite a raging chest/sinus cold that leveled me by 9:00 on new years eve, i can't imagine spending the time any differently.  i come home and my heart is full, every year.  this year, there was a lot more space to fill than typical - i'm so glad i topped it off to start over new.