As 2016 is slipping away, it is with deep gratitude that I bid the year farewell. This Year of Surrender has been an amazing journey for me, full of delights and unexpected surprises, lessons and celebrations, connections and fresh opportunities.
Here is my year in review.
Using the symbol of the River, to represent the flow of Life, this year was about immersing myself in that flow, and seeing where Life took me. Resistance was my signal that I was attempting to take back control, and moving out of flow. I became very aware of what triggered resistance, and how to release those things that quite literally created drag as I journeyed. My mantra was Open to everything, attached to nothing, which kept me in a space of receiving and free from expectations.
I celebrated the people in my life, for the first time this year writing a birthday blog post for every member of my family, immediate and extended. Being open to such an undertaking led me to looking up each person’s name, so I could share it in the post. I thought about that beautiful soul all day, surrounding him or her with love and gratitude, and honored their lives and accomplishments. It was, admittedly, a big commitment. And yet I am so glad I followed that prompting.
There were other joyous occasions in 2016. My daughter Adriel married her sweetheart, Nate. Two of my three children purchased homes. I was present for my grandchildren and great nieces and great nephews during football games, award assemblies, concerts, parades and half time shows.
Dayan and I attended our first Comic Con, in St Louis. There we met the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors and one of the companions, Rose. The way that opportunity came together strongly reinforced my belief that the Divine cares for every aspect of our lives.
Two major life shifters both occurred mid summer, and have had a lasting impact on me.
A simple exercise in the book Walking in This World, by Julia Cameron, took on a life of its own and inspired me to practice 30 days of creativity. I wrote 30 activities on slips of paper and drew one each day. What began as a month of fun quickly became an exercise in deep faith and trust. I recognized that I was asking a question of the Divine. What surprised me was that I, in return, was asked the same question. That beautiful time of surrendering to something so much bigger and more extraordinary that I could ever have imagined has influenced the direction my journey is taking for 2017.
And another question that I posed to the Divine, involving my health and the severe nerve pain in my legs, was answered as well. I was led to Anthony William, and his books, Medical Medium and Life Changing Foods. My life has shifted dramatically after connecting with Anthony. I switched to a plant based diet, and avoid a short list of foods. I now feel better than I have in many years, and I am experiencing great health and well being, while diminishing my pain. The results have been staggering, and life changing, so much so that I will be launching a second blog in January, created around my healing journey.
What a tremendous year 2016 has been. The things I have learned from living in surrender and openness. I said good bye to a dear friend this year as well, and many entertainers and celebrities that I appreciated passed on too. However, their legacies live on, and I still feel their impact on my life. One of those, who transitioned early in 2016, has had a profound influence on my continuing journey.
That’s a story for next year. For while the Year of Surrender is concluding, the lessons I learned and the changes I embraced during those 12 months will continue on the journey with me.
And continue I will. Join me for an exciting new adventure!
