The first, last & inbetween

I feel at peace with 2011. I have no harbored fear, angst, anxiety....I welcome what is to come with open arms and usher 2010 out with equal contentment.

Within the hour I've rung in the new year, made my way to the home where I grew up, fulfilled the munchies and have snuggled into a big bed in my parent's guest room.

It is within this beautiful hour where strangers meet, friends toast & lovers kiss.

An hour, a day, a year. I've been reading Buechner who says [Today] is the first day because it has never been before and the last day because it will never be again. Be alive if you can all through this day today of your life. (from the Alphabet of Grace)

This is one of the many ideas that led me to choose my word for 2011 : {{{mindful}}}

Mindful -- present, connected, attentive. This is something I so admire in others. Being mindful of self. Being mindful of others, the world. Mindful in the here and now.

I welcomed 2010 in a similar way. Ready to reclaim, explore and cleave to a deep rooted joy. I was ready to let go of 2009, a year that held a lot of stress, loneliness and anxiety. And 2010 was indeed filled with joy, but also uncertainty and change. It was incredibly scary and refreshing. With joy I re-established my ability to respond positively to unfavorable circumstance. A year later, I feel as if I'm in a whole other world -- a completely transformed mindset.

Oh to be mindful of what brings us from one day to the next, from the first to the last. Mindful of the falling snow, toasting bread, and ideas lurking overhead, mindful of habits, passing time, and laughter, and mindful of expectations, conversation, and perception.

What's your word, resolution, theme? What's it's worth?