Tuesday, January 02, 2018

My word for the year




This is what I've been doing for a lot of years now. I choose a word to guide me for the new year. Then I make a tiny little banner to remind me. New Years Day is a good day for doing this.



Last year my word was "resist". I tried. I think we all tried and it was a year of resisting, but it's been a tough year in lots of ways and at the end of the year it feels like lots of things are broken. It's easy to forget that things broken can be mended. Physical things (like eyes healing following surgery), maybe even what seems a huge, ugly rip in the fabric of our society. So "mend" is a hope as much as an inspiration. Hasn't it been a hard, chaotic year? It was for me. Maybe mend follows resist. And I was recently reminded that there is a Japanese method of mending broken pottery called Kinsugi where the mended area is filled with gold, making it both beautiful and stronger than it was before. So I'm focusing on how we fix what's broken, how I can do my small part and how we bring strength and beauty to the healing/mending process.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

20 comments:

  1. Happy New Year, Terry. I do hope you have a big improvement on your eyes.
    Sandy in the UK

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  2. A beautiful thought

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  3. Anonymous4:17 AM

    Perfect word choice after a troubling and tough year!

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  4. And you've kept them all. A beautiful display! I'm going to be set on RESIST until our national nightmare is over, but inside it's FOCUS - I'm coming into the homestretch of the first revision of my book. And I thought hand stitching took time! Hah!

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  5. A wonderful word for this year. Although, I think Resist 2.0 will be involved for me.

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  6. Leigh9:14 AM

    Happy New Year Terry!

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  7. Strength and beauty in the mending process... a worthy challenge. May it be a year of progress and blessings...

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  8. Every year when I choose a word, I think I am going to make a reminder, but I haven't yet. Mend is a great word to follow resist. I hope that by the end of the year, many things are mended. (that sounds only somewhat better than saying I wish you much mending! Sound like I want you to have more things that need mending.)

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  9. I love that you have kept and displayed your little banners. It's a wonderful idea. You are far more optimistic about the mending that must take place. The tear is not a tear, but a gorge that opens larger as we go behind trying to mend what has been undone. I fought so hard since the 60s only to see our country today take 100 steps backward and stagnate there. I fear I am stuck in RESIST.
    Happy New Year.
    xx, Carol

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  10. Love that you beautifully stitched the two parts of your banner together. Fingers crossed this year brings some healing.

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  11. Happy New Year, Terry. I think we can all use a bit of mending.

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  12. What a perfect word for the year! Wishing you peace and happiness this year.
    Diane in Madison

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  13. Anonymous8:51 AM

    Thank you for your lovely prose,I share your sentiments. Also, I follow your blog for your writing as much as your art. Juile

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  14. I too have had an "annus horribilis" to quote Queen Elizabeth... and I love the mend banner you made, here's hoping mending is possible, in all it's meanings!

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  15. Love, love, love the word MEND. It conjures up so many positive actions, not the least of which is stitching itself. I hope your eyesight improves and wish you nothing but the best in the coming twelve months! Susan

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  16. Thank you for sharing this banner and the Japanese idea of mending pottery. Yes 2017 was a rough year in many ways both personally and externally. I love the collection of little banners. You have inspired me to think of a word and maybe create something using it.

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  17. Anonymous3:38 PM

    Perfect!

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  18. Wishing you a happy new year. I, too, have resisted and now--well, mend, I know it's what is needed but is it possible?
    In the newest Star Wars movie one character says--"we need to fight for what we love, not fight against what we fear"
    Resistance was futile. I'll fight for what I love this year.

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  19. yes, well said. I don''t know if something can be mended if people are busy tearing it out as fast as some are mending. Sounds pessimistic, sorry. I am feeling that way nowadays. I've never felt so insecure while being in the majority. I really like your interpretation of the word. It made me think how I would interpret my word, change, in a visual way. I am being beat up by my word at the moment. I have learned all change is not healthy, despite being inevitable.
    LeeAnna

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  20. Hi Terry! Been missing your posts. Hope you are okay :)

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