Word.
While I’m not into NY resolutions as such (I mean, what’s with the one-shot-a-year deal?) I like the idea of going into the next year mindfully, courageously and best-foot-forwardly. And while I don’t broadcast resolutions, I often have little private ones like…
Be nicer to the children.
Drink more water.
Stop endlessly rereading Terry Pratchett and pick up something large and tome-like that you can quote and seem very clever if you ever get invited out to dinner.
Then I spoke to a friend of mine who said that she didn’t make resolutions. Instead, she gave herself a word for the year, like joy or flow or aware. Then it’s not a matter of failing or keeping a resolution — it’s about every day, trying to live into the word you gave yourself for the year. I spent the next two days trying to think of what my word for the year should be and I kept coming up with words and discarding them.
Flow. Nah, too passive. I’m way too likely as it is to let other people lead me and my life around.
Happiness. Well, I have serious reservations about how important happiness is. Anyway, I would see this as a pressure whenever I was cranky. Be happy dammit. It’s your goddam word of the year. Stop whining woman and sit up. But I don’t waaaaaaannnna. Bugger happiness.
Breathe. Yes, I could remember to do this way more often (even not taking the severe asthma into account). But still, it felt too calm. I’ve been thinking that to survive this move I’ve got to get my attitude notched up.
Balance. Ooch. Same deal. In fact, I’ve been saving this post of Krista’s for a long while now and I smile whenever I see it in my bloglines because she is so right. Balance is overrated.
Everything I thought of felt too hippyhappy zen and buddha balanced and I’ve got some serious bull-horns to grasp this year. Finally I asked Daniel.
Daniel (said I), if you chose a word for your life in 2007, what would it be?
Hmm (said he with almost no hesitation). Well, my word for 2006 was space so my word for 2007 will be action. Which means you have to take me mini-golfing whenever I like.
Astoundingly, he had in a second, found the right word for all of us. I proposed it to Ed who agreed. So this is the Stuntfamily resowordtion for 2007.
While the children slept, Ed and I drank beer and watched Henry V and scrawled down all the things we wanted to let go of from this year, moments, feelings, events, whatever. At midnight, we went outside and burned the scraps of paper with our small sadnesses on them while all around us people blew party horns and shouted and set off fireworks and the city rang in the new year. It was amazing how fast all those hard moments turned to ash and blew away. Gone. And here we are, moving forward fast. Action, baby. Welcome 2007. It’s going to be a good year.
That is a very good word for those of us going through big changes. Lets get this party started!
I spent the evening addressing envelopes so that as soon as we get our change-of-address info finalized, I can stick the cards into the envelopes and send them off. Not at all like me to be so proactive. But a good thing to do on the first day of 2007–perhaps I should take Action as my word too. Enough breathing, enough yoga, lets get going. Maybe Daniel is the next Dalai Lama incarnate?
I absolutely love the idea of choosing a word, and Daniel is genius.
Pure genius.
Oooooh – “action”. Perfectly perfect. I choose it too!
I love your burning away sad things from the old year too.
Go 2007!
That is a GREAT word!
I love the burning idea. I am stealing all of it! Bwahahaha!!!! (That was an EVIL laugh, in case you were wondering.)
Happy New Year!
I want to burn something too.
Did you ask Daniel how his 2006 word worked out?
Happy New Year to the Stunt Family.
I love the idea of a word for the new year instead of a resolution. Your boys is very wise, you know.
The action of burning past year’s transgressions is something I do every year at a women’s Passover seder I attend. It’s a good thing. Happy New Year to you all and good luck on the move later this year.
I love the idea of burning the small pieces of paper. Sometimes when something really challenging is going on, I’ll write a long letter and then burn it. Happy New Year to you and your family!
I like the way Daniel tapped into the Stuntfamily zeitgeist. I’m now looking for my word of 2007. Thanks for the inspiration.
Beautiful. You speak my mind, as usual. Happy Action year to us all!
Happy new year – may it bring all the best things that you wish for!
I am trying to describe the picture in my mind, of the Stuntfamily, leaping into Action in 2007. It’s a little Charlie’s Angels-ish, but you’re most definitely Kate Jackson.
Action. I love it.
I’ve gotta think of my word.
I’m looking forward to this year — 10 years after I graduated high school and I’ll be finishing my degree and looking for a “real” job! Can’t wait.
Great! Action is good. I like action. I like the letting go ceremony, too.
I love this idea, and I love that Daniel hit the nail on the head. I am going to adapt this for myself, I think. Or adopt. Either or both. My word?
Tolerance.
I’m losing so much of it that I have to reestablish myself. I’ve missed you. I’ve been busy. I’ve been crazy. I’ve really, really missed you.
I’m moving to Michigan.
This is good.
Splendid.