What a year. We've been catching up with family and friends since returning home, recounting places we visited and things we saw. The faces we met on the road will forever be imprinted onto the folds of our imagination and the world as we see it will always be mapped by these individual stories. Reflecting on what we learned and how we hope to apply these lessons to our everyday lives, we realize the difficulty in pinpointing how we've changed, if at all.
Wisdom is tricky to qualify, isn't it? It doesn't come beautifully wrapped in gift boxes full of confetti and glitter, making an announcement as it enters the room. Even if it did, we'd be too stubborn anyway to welcome it with open arms. Instead, it has to be clever and mysteriously make its way into our lives, hitching a ride on our shadows when we're not paying attention. When we least expect it, it appears and with the help of some clarity, we have to recognize that it's been there all along, waiting for us to call upon it. If not, it goes back into hiding.
So, what are some of the things we were present enough to learn this past year?
Drink more water.
Take quick showers.
Call home frequently.
Pack light.
Layer up.
Eat in moderation.
Exercise regularly.
Smile often.
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.
Pay more attention.
In 2016, we wish for more rain, less fire. More tolerance, less prejudice. More listening, less talking. More love, less hate. More clarity, less ambiguity.
Here's to a new year full of wisdom.
xx