Passages

Yesterday afternoon I made homemade granola. There's something very Zen about baking for me. I find it relaxing.

And fun!



(Click picture for a large version to see all the close-up yummy goodness.)

YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. So, so good!

2009.

What a year.

I'm not even sure where to begin. I looked back on my entry for last year, January 2009, and I had so much hope for things to be different, for me to work on things and take better care of myself and be more creative and see great changes occur. That didn't happen in the ways I wanted. Not really, not completely. In most ways, I feel like not a lot has changed from the end of last year to the end of this one.

However, I didn't want to get mired in that one entry. I didn't want to get discouraged by the seeming lack of change. Because even though things are not where I'd like them to be, in looking at the rest of my entries for the year, I do see some promise, a glimmer of light amidst the frustrations and anxieties.

( Looking back... )

So. What does all this rambling mean? I suppose it may not mean much to any of you as you likely had your own goals, interests and struggles in the past year. Frankly, I'm impressed if you took the time to read this entry at all! *laughs lightly* In an overall sense, I guess writing all this out is my way of showing myself that no matter how bleak the year seemed, no matter how hard things got, I did do the very best I could. It wasn't all bad. In fact, parts of it were very, very good. And those are the parts I need to remember as I take on this new year, and this new decade.

Wow. A new decade. Where did the time go? I feel nervous and a bit anxious -- because I feel like I have so much to accomplish, so far yet to go -- but I also feel positive. Like this new year is a fresh start for me, an opportunity to refocus and keep striving.

This year I make no predictions or promises. I have no earthly idea what 2010 will bring. I only hope that I can rise to its challenges and be open to the multitude of possibilities out there waiting for me.

I hope 2010 brings each and every one of you enormous joy, good health, and an abundance of accomplishment, in whatever ways you can possibly imagine. Let us all dare to dream a little more. ♥

Happy New Year, everyone!