THE NEW YEAR AND LESSONS TO BE LEARNED

"Franz Liszt, Hungarian composer and piano virtuoso said it best to Marie d' Agoult...Heaven, Hell, everything, all is with you, redoubled...Oh! Leave me free to rave in my delirium. Drab, tame, constricting reality is no longer enough for me. We must live our lives to the full, loving and suffering to extremes!"

(from www.lulu.com)

Today, while walking 4 miles with my daughter through million dollar homes and a golf course designed by Trent Jones Sr. (and possibly Jr. also), I saw this carcass on the side of a hill, stripped and laid barren. It reminded me that no amount of money can change what is to be in a life. Death comes to us all in our own time, a reminder to "live our lives to the full, loving and suffering to extremes."

"Knowing and understanding the laws of life, also called Truth, is not enough. We must also live the truth that we know."

This is the beginning of a new year, full of possibilities and chances to think and live differently. There has been much talk on many blogs about not doing resolutions but rather picking a word for the year and focusing on it and trying to "live" the word through actions, art, reflection. I have been thinking about this...a choice for a word...and one word has popped up more than once in things that I have watched on TV, things I have read, things I have listened to on the radio. That word is "GRACE". I think that it is important to learn to listen and recognize when the universe is sending you a message. There must be a reason why the word "grace" has been making its presence known to me. So, I got out my dictionary and read the definition of the word. Always, as with any word, there are multiple meanings. The following are words that apply for me:

• favor, charm, thanks
• pleasing, grateful
• the quality or state of being considerate or thoughtful
• three sister goddesses in Greek mythology who are the givers of charm and beauty
• to confer dignity or honor on: adorn, embellish
• unmerited divine assistance given man for his regeneration or sanctification
• approval, favor
• a charming trait or accomplishment
• a pleasingly graceful appearance or effect : CHARM
• ease and suppleness of movement or bearing

I read all of these definitions and see something in all of them that I would like to complement my life in the coming year. There are qualities that I would like to make more a part of my inner self: being grateful, thankful, considerate or thoughtful. I have really been trying to be truthful with myself and with others. As stated above, we must also live the truth we know. I would love to attain approval and favor from those whom I look up to and admire. I would even love to attain suppleness and ease in my body. I know that I can do better with my diet and exercise program. The words "adorn" and "embellish" speak to me of my art. I have been feeling like I need to explore more and make more time for what I feel is important to me in regards to my art. So much of last year was devoted to healing myself and art got put on the back burner. Regeneration and sanctification seem to apply to this area of my life. Divine assistance would be the icing on the cake; a bonus of sorts.

So Grace: glad to meet you. We will be sharing the year, learning about each other. I will learn more about you and derivations of you (graceful, gracious, graced,)