Re-soul-utions

    2012 is destined in the stars to be a year of celebration and a time of hope!  On the winter solstice, 12/21/12, at 11:11 Universal Time, the sun will be aligned with the center of the Milky Way for the first time in about 26,000 years.  This is also the end of a 5,125 year era according to the Mayan Long Count calendar, which was discontinued under Spanish colonization.  Some say the Mayans planned to reset the calendar again at zero, predicting the end of humanity.  Others believe that the Mayans simply recognized that there would be “energy disruption” when the stars aligned causing an unknown effect on the planet.  More likely, according to scholars such as Sandra Noble, the Mayans, indigenous people who were in tune with the natural world, considered it a marvelous wonder to make it through an entire calendar cycle.  
     Whether or not the Mayans have it right about what will happen on December 21, they did understand the importance of beginnings and endings.  As the new year begins, Meb reflects on her personal Long Count Calendar of 365 days in 2011 and thinks, "Wow, I made it through another crazy year - amazing."  Here's wishing that all of you share Meb's anticipation of a glorious future in this special leap year.

Joan, Meb and Katie

Like many of you, at the start of every year, I make a list of resolutions - goals and plans for a better year.  I heard on the radio that most people break their New Year's resolutions by January 10 and on average, may make those same resolutions five separate times.  I know that I could make these resolutions at any point in time, but for some reason I wait until the end of the year to reflect, and to the first of the year to set my sights on something better.  It's like waiting for January 1 to say, "New Year, new me."  It's a reset of my personal resolution calendar.

This year, I spent some time alone to really ask myself these questions:

1.  What was the "defining moment" of the year?  What knocked my socks off?  What happened last year that really, really made my day, week, month and/or had the most impact on my life?

2. What did I really love about last year?  What was good about 2011 that added more love and joy to my life?  And finally,

3.  What do I want to change?  What do I have control over that I want to be different this upcoming year? 

There is nothing magical about personal reflection and setting one's intentions to live more authentically and more fully.  Like Katie says, it's getting the boat out of the dock that is the hardest for some; while for others, like me, it's more like turning the Titanic around.  In both cases, change is more successful when the goal is clear and the steps are strategic, but small.  I also think that we need to ground our resolutions in what matters most in our hearts:  re-soul-utions.

So this year, I am planting a garden again.  I am going back to working the earth and living with cycles and seasons.  Just like the Mayans, I want to pay close attention to the natural world.  Right now, there is just earth and seeds and rain, but soon I will have vegetables and flowers.  Marina Schinz, a photographer and contributor to House and Garden has inspired me.  She says, "To create a garden is to search for a better world.  In our efffort to improve on nature, we are guided by a vision of paradise.  Whether the result is a horticultural masterpiece or only a modest vegetable patch, it is based on the expectation of a glorious future.  This hope for the future is at the heart of all gardening."

As we look ahead to the rest of 2012, let's anticipate a glorious future.  Personally, I think it is going to be a very good year for tomatoes.  I'd love to know what you think.  --Meb