New Year's Eve Reflection

As I sit here contemplating a year that has simply flown by and doing a little navel-gazing (quite literally -- my right ovary and tumor therein were pulled out through it only three weeks ago and I marvel that it's almost completely healed), I'd like to share with you the nutshell version of our 2010.

When I think of the word reflection, what usually comes to mind is the the "fixing of the thoughts on something; careful consideration." But I found another definition (I love Dictionary.com) that reads, "The return of light, heat, sound, etc., after striking a surface." This blog reveals the return of light after striking against the surface of what I previously considered a very dark time in my life.

For me 2010 was replete with difficulties of every imaginable sort, most of which I cursed until revisiting the film Seven Years in Tibet, starring Brad Pitt. There's a line in the movie in which he describes the people on their journey to the Holy City and he says, "They believe the more difficult the journey, the greater the depth of purification." The words reverberated through the core of my being. I paused the movie and played them back: "The more difficult the journey, the greater the depth of purification." My journey had certainly been difficult. Was it meant to lead me to a place of greater purification? Maybe so.

And with that I decided to change my view of the relational, financial, and health issues looming ominously over me all year like ravenous beasts ready to tear me limb from limb, devour my flesh, grind my bones to dust, and floss my tendons from their teeth with what was left of my hair. Yeah, it was a scary year.

Not long before this striking movie-moment, I'd begun reading Elisabeth Gilbert's Eat Pray Love (finally, after seeing the movie a mere three times). I hesitated to read it because I was unable to write for most of the year due to various physical maladies, and to be honest, I was jealous. Jealous of her journey, jealous of her Brazilian, and most of all, jealous of her career. There you have it, my public confession. Yet having spent time in an ashram this year acquiring my yoga teacher certification, and dealing with a significant break up and the subsequent unraveling of my life, I related to pieces of what she went through. She was quite fortunate to have gone through it all healthy, with no children relying on her, and with all expenses paid by her publisher. Even so, countless people -- myself included -- have benefited from the blessings and misfortunes which ultimately produced her story. Perhaps I'll get to experience more of the Italy and Bali side of things in the New Year? And more of the cash? One can hope.

Aside from Eat Pray Love, and thanks to a second yoga teacher training I completed this year, Yoga for Golfers with Katherine Roberts, I now have two other books occupying my mind, nightstand space, and spare time. One is Joseph Parent's Zen Golf (great book even if you're a complete novice like me) and the other is my Christmas gift to myself entitled Buddha's Brain, by Rick Hanson, PhD. It gives the neuroscience behind how our brains think and what we can do to reprogram them. Fascinating material, particularly if you've ever had a brain hemorrhage. I totally dig it.

Thus, in view of these and other illuminating slices of better-perspective-on-life acquired throughout the year, I decided to blog again. In doing so I felt that the best way to review this particular year was through photos which focused on the positive. Because while the bad things seemed so big and well, bad, plenty of good things happened too, like meeting gobs of wonderful new people. One such jewel is my friend Rachel, pictured with me above on graduation day at the ashram. So, if anyone aside from my best friend (and I think her computer is down) is still reading this blog, here it is -- my year in pictures.


January 2010
I made someone very happy at breakfast.


February 2010
Two people made me very happy at breakfast: Cupid and the Cook on Valentine's Day.




March 2010
Staying in the present and enjoying nature. I captured this butterfly on my iPhone while my son was playing in the woods with friends after school. It was quite the Zen moment.



April - May 2010
Appreciating the little things.


June 2010
Finding hope.



July 2010
Birthdays and beaches.















August 2010
Sweet snuggles.



September 2010
A little love goes a long way.



October 2010

"Be still, sad heart, and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall..."
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

November 2010
Thankful for our little family and lots of love. :)




December 2010 requires a few words.

We had simply had the most amazing Christmas ever. I didn't know how were going to have one at all, especially after being out of work, dealing with health issues without insurance, recovering from surgery etc., etc. -- but it happened. I am grateful to the friends (and to my mother) who all helped in various ways. First, someone bought us a beautiful Douglas Fir Christmas tree, which surprised and thrilled my children. Then at least two other friends chipped in to make sure the kids and I had wonderful holiday. And that we did.

We were given a Nintendo Wii System, with the game Just Dance 2, and we have a complete ball with it! It's quite possible I like the game even more than the kids do and I'm not ashamed to say I hold the high score on more than one song. (The next dance video we make will put the old one to shame I am certain.) It has given us hours of smiles already. My daughter also got a beautiful Schwinn bicycle to ride to school, and coincidentally my son received a pair of Schwinn roller blades -- thankfully with pads and a helmet.

Of course the most important thing about the holidays is the people in your life. Aside from my mother, my family has always consisted of my beautiful best friend (pictured above standing next to me in the swimsuit) and her children. Our kids have grown up together and she has been to me what every woman wishes for in a sister and then some. Any time we spend together brings laughter and smiles, even through tears.

So while I'm still convinced I look like a dork in the group photo below, it makes my heart smile, as we were all genuinely happy to be together on Christmas which I think is not only the best representation of December, but the greatest gift one could ever ask for.


From our family to yours, may you have many happy reflections on your 2010 and a most excellent 2011.

Many Smiles,
Monica :)