What a year it has been.  A year of much water flowing, cascading, sometimes even bucketing down.  Perhaps even a watershed year.  Many tears shed, much pain experienced.  Lots of laughter, joy, and love too.  Many bridges built and crossed, some cracked, possible broken.  A year of enormous change in every aspect of my life.  A year of new paths forged, new challenges met, wonderful new friendships made and old ones grown.  A showing up and integration perhaps of whom I know myself to be.  So much to be grateful for.

Thank you, as always, to the readers who follow this blog.  Continuing to show curiosity in what I might write about.  Writing this blog has become a faithful companion, allowing some expression for my ongoing musings, and will continue in the new year as before.  A challenge to mindfully muse from the heart, with vulnerability, about my work, about life, and more.  There will be some additions.  I have added a page for my posts that seem to be primarily poetic in nature.  You will also see a new challenge page added that will see one post per month, posted usually on the 14th of the month, which will address, from my perspective, ten areas of engaging with vulnerability and cultivating wholeheartedness, as set out by Brené Brown in one of her books – authenticity; self-compassion; resilience; gratitude; intuition; creativity; play and rest; stillness; meaningful work; laughter, song and dance.  This is the writing challenge I wish to set myself this coming new year.  To show up, be present, and inquire deeply into vulnerability and what this may mean to living a wholehearted life.  In so doing to fully step into everything I have set into motion this past year, with kindness and compassion for all.

You See I want a Lot

by Rainer Maria Rilke

You see, I want a lot.

Perhaps I want everything:

the darkness that comes with every infinite fall

and the shivering blaze of every step up.

So many live on and want nothing,

and are raised to the rank of prince

by the slippery ease of their light judgments.

But what you love to see are faces

that do work and feel thirst.

You love most of all those who need you

as they need a crowbar or a hoe.

You have not grown old, and it is not too late

to dive into your increasing depths

where life calmly gives out its own secret.

May you all experience much peace and ease and be greatly blessed with kindness, love, courage, and new adventures during 2014.