Yesterday I laid 2011 to rest and said its time to reset my compass, so today as I headed out for my walk, I called up my compass app on my phone just to see where it would take me. I began to walk down the road and the compass told me I was headed north. Walking as far north as I could, left me at the shore, the place where heaven meets earth at the horizon line. I turned right and began ambling along the shoreline, always in hope of finding that new piece of beach glass. The compass said I was going east, where the sun rises each morning. I walked east as far as I could go and found myself at the inlet. I met some people and we were all marveling at the 66 degree temps for January first. I said to them, “What does this tell us about 2012?”. The lady answered that it’s going to be a much better year than 2011! I so agreed. I had no choice but to turn toward home. The compass said I was walking south. When I got home I set my glasses, water bottle, and phone down on the counter. I sat in my chair and put my feet up. My eyes caught the patio where this gorgeous sun would set in just a few hours, because it’s January and not July. The compass said I was facing west.
Reset your spiritual compass for 2012. First head north and give your God the first few minutes of the day. Then turn east and pick up your package of hope that each sunrise offers you. At the end of the day, go south and turn toward home. Set your bag of difficulties down on the counter and find comfort in the arms of your home and family. Finally, sit in your easy chair and turn your face west. Look at the setting sun and find rest. Then, get up and do it all over again tomorrow. For it is the consistency that makes the deep, significant changes in who we are over the course of a year.
My compass for 2012 has been reset by that one word – consistency. This year I aim to be more consistent with prayer, with food, with money, with exercise, with writing, with walking, with self-care, etc. – just a few minutes on each, everyday. Hopefully, just like in yoga, the physical will transfer to the emotional and I will come out the other side in 2013 a more consistent person.
I used to make lists like many people do, of my new year’s resolutions. Those lists become binding and cumbersome as the month of January progresses, so this year I decided more could be accomplished if I just limited my goal to one word – consistency. Do just a little of a lot of good things everyday. The days turn into weeks. The weeks turn into months, and before I know it, we’ll be discussing 2013. High hopes, I know, but as my husband will tell you, I’ve always been an over-achiever.
And so, as another New Year’s Day goes by, I’ll go north and pray, turn east and gather hope, head south and make my way home, face west and find peace and rest – then I’ll get up and do it all over again the next day, and….I have written.
January 1, 2012 – an exquisite beach day….
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