Da Goddess

After attempting to sleep in a little, I finally gave up and starting working on my list of things I want to let go and the things I wish to accomplish. I don’t call these resolutions. For me, they’re more of a cleansing and affirmation sort of ritual, if you want to call it anything.

So, I had my lists completed. I cut out the strips of paper, placing the “negative” or “releasing” in one envelope, and the affirmations and goals in another.

Little Dude made his lists, too.

Next, we met up with our favorite friend and neighbor, Patty, and we headed down to the beach. This wonderful artist created a labyrinth in the sand and we were going to walk it.

There was quite a crowd, but it didn’t matter. There was also the matter of a great number of stairs to conquer. We didn’t let that stand in our way either. We made our way into the center, shedding the worries and burdens of the past year. Once at the center, I was overwhelmed by…I’m not sure what. There was definitely a unique energy there that was very moving. Even LD seemed to feel it. He looked so relaxed and confident and amazed. He relit a candle or two that someone else had placed but had gone out. And then we began our journey out of the labyrinth. I said I wanted to try to find my way out using a different path. Turned out it was the same path I’d taken in. It felt different, though. And then I ran into the artist.

He was a charming man. There was a twinkle in his eyes and a smile on his face. He was like a friendly sprite. Seriously.

LD added a rock to another little labyrinth someone had constructed. Then some little kids tried to desecrate it. We created a sand creature and then wandered about. Finally, we made our way back up the stairs. It took me a bit longer to get up than it did for Patty and LD, but that didn’t seem to matter. They waited for me at various points along the way. The big thing is: I made it all the way down and back up on my own! One of my goals is to become stronger each day and I’m doing my very best to make sure this happens.

On the drive home, we had fresh apples to ensure a fruitful and prosperous year. Once we arrived back at Patty’s we fixed dinner, ate, cleaned up, and then headed out to build a fire. At the fire, we took all those strips of paper with the things we wished to release from our lives, read them, and tossed them into the flames. After we reset the fire, we then read our affirmations and placed them into the fire. It was really kind of wonderful. Especially because I got to share with my son and my friend, two people who know and accept me for who I am. It was good to be able to get everything out in the open and have people I trust bear witness to my new year and new outlook. Even LD said it was one of neatest things he’s done.

Sometimes we have to try new things to break out of a rut or to establish new patterns and this is exactly what I aim to do this year. It’s a fresh start. It’s a new life. It’s a chance to make the most of each day and each opportunity that comes my way.

I wish I could say I was on top of all the photos I took today, but honestly, I had too much fun to take too many and am too exhausted to worry about uploading them yet. Funny how that works in my favor, but it does. I have LD here with me and we’re going to enjoy the evening, which is likely to be pretty short given how wiped out we are.

Hope you all had an equally wonderful start to the new year!