With Christmas just around the corner, I am realizing that another year is nearing its end. It has been a interesting year, all in all. A long year in some ways though it has seemed to fly by very quickly. I have seen and done and learned many things this year. Some I wouldn't care to repeat, some I feel tremendous pride in, some that have expanded my sense of self and service and have become a part of the new normal. Most years are this way I suppose, however, this year feels different.
As I reflect on the highlights (and low lights) of this year - there has been a lot of change. The microcosm reflects the macrocosm. As the my life shifts and changes, the world around me seems to shift and change as well. The challenges I face in my life are reflected in a larger scale with the changing faces of society and social culture norms. As more is exposed and tolerated in the goings on of the world... I am awakened to more from a place of compassion internally. Compassion for myself, compassion for my community as a collective and in the individuals that are a part of it, compassion for my profession, compassion for our government, compassion for our world.
Health is a funny topic. There is so much conflicting information out there, so many options and recommendations and opinions on how to handle this and that. As a consumer, it can be overwhelming and even disturbing to receive this amount of information with seemingly contradicting paths. I am often reminded in my own journey in health and the process of aging that every body responds differently and in different periods of life, the response may vary from a previous experience. There is no manual, there are no guarantees. We are left to our devices, fielding influences vs. inspirations in every moment. As a health care provider, I share what I know, what I have learned, tested, experienced, witnessed and what spirit guides in me for the highest and best good of each individual. I have been gifted with a lot of success through the years in Empowering others on their own journey. I also recognize that sometimes, I miss the mark or am not the right fit for the particular task at hand. There is no ego involved. In those moments, compassion toward the individual and the circumstance allows both to continue their flow forward and our journeys to continue. I take time to be in gratitude for the miracles that continue to surface - large and small, as they are always present when one is aware of them. Health is just one small area of my daily life, though it does get a lot of time and attention.
This has been the year. It is as if I have been watching my life as an observer of myself and my surroundings. Releasing attachment to outcomes, to expectations and to titles. There is freedom in this release. Not freedom from responsibility - that still exists. It is more of a freedom in holding the energy of any woulda-coulda-shoulda scenarios. There is great joy in focusing my attention on the small things, the beautiful moments, the simple wins and the greater accomplishments in a day.
I look forward to ending my year in remembrance of the positives that have come through this year. Personally, professionally, in community and globally. It is in conscious joy that I choose to define my days, which in turn will create my life. I will move into the new year with a deeper passion for service and a stronger connection to joy. I am looking forward to sharing that with those that cross my path.