Endings and Beginnings

There will come a time when you believe everything is finished, that will be the beginning.

No matter how hard the past is, you can always begin again. – Buddha

Here we are at the end of one year and the beginning of another.

These days, resolutions seem to be weekly, even daily. To succeed at these resolutions is still a challenge for me.

“Doing my best” never had as much meaning as it does now. Perhaps because I am

more in tune with knowing the difference between what ‘my best’ is and what ‘I’ll

wing it’ is.

Now that I know the feeling of giving ‘it’ 100%, the feeling of giving it 90% doesn’t feel so great and if I could, I’d do that 100% thing all the time.

But I don’t.

I don’t do 100% consistently. I make mistakes… regularly ( and sometimes often!). I

aspire to be 100% conscious, 100% grateful, 100% considerate and compassionate but

I am not.

As this year ends, I have no New Years resolution, only the goal to keep learning and expanding and to implement lessons learned that make me more whole and who I aspire to be.

I am excited to welcome the New Year in a “come to mama” kind of way.

For once, I don’t feel anxious about all the self-made promises I won’t keep or the grandiose fantasies that I know won’t come to pass.

However, I will continue to dream big and be as alive as I can be.

What I can count on for the coming year is that it will be full of love, loss, laughter, sadness, growing pains, disappointments, surprises, adventures, successes and probably some tragedy.

Oddly enough, when I think about it, that is just what was part of this past year…uh, I think it’s called Life. (I still haven’t lost all that New York sarcasm)

What I know is that I will continue to be that hypocritical ever-soul-searching person I

have always been. And I can prove that by what I’m going to write next. (The hypocritical part)

I DO have a resolution and that is to practice the art of allowing all things, sad and happy, good and bad, into my life with a knowing that I can and will endure them with

love and grace…that nothing or no one can harm me, except myself.

And that, I will continue practicing to do less of.

I wish for myself all that I wish for you… everyday, every week, every year.

Peace within…. peace throughout.

With the sturdiness of peace as the foundation the wind of change and trial, which will surely pull us off our course from time to time, will not knock us down.

Thank you for walking with me for another year, reading my rants, my successes, my trials and all while you were in the midst of your own.

How generous you have been to share moments of your own wonderful and complicated life to peek into mine.

I am truly grateful for your support and encouragement along the way and I hope that in some way, that something resonated with you and reassured you that you are not alone.

Here’s to a New Year filled with so much opportunity to see and feel the beauty all around us and most importantly, all within us. You are beautiful.

Wish you a wonderful holiday, however you celebrate it, and a very happy and healthy New Year.

With love and gratitude,

Robbie