My new word for 2011...EMBRACE

Quite a few years ago I was inspired by Ali Edwards blog to pick a word for the year. The word is supposed to bring you back when you stray during the year. Remind you again and again what your dreams and goals and wishes are for that year. I started the year the kids were diagnosed with autism. The word I picked for that year was BELIEVE. It was special on so many levels for me. I painted 8 inch scrapbook letters in sparkly white, stamped them with orange swirls and put them above the window in my studio so everyday I would be reminded to believe...in good, in miracles, in silver linings and in hope.

This year took me a while, there are just so many amazing words that speak to me, but I finally decided on embrace. When I was pregnant with our first baby, we went to the recommended birthing classes. I don't remember much from them except the word "breathe", and a little lesson the teacher gave on pain. She gave each of us women an ice cube and told us to place it in our palms. Then she told us to squeeze it as hard as we could. After a short time the pain and cold were so intense we all had to stop. Then she told us to place it in our other hand, and just let it rest there gently..."see she said, when you don't fight against it the pain its much less". That one sentence has stuck with me for almost 9 years. How much less pain might I have endured if I had embraced that wisdom more fully. That's my goal this year, to accept that pain is part of life, and love and growth, and to embrace it instead of fighting so hard against it. Not as an excuse to lay down and take it like a victim, but to be gentle on myself and to pursue the lesson behind it. I really want to embrace my children fully. Who they are at this moment, and to be at peace with where we are at right now. Embrace the time I have been given, and the talents as well. I guess I could make myself a t-shirt that says "2011, year of the HUG" as a reminder. LOL!