DAY 560

So I am here to celebrate. Reviewing 2014

When 2014 started I decided that it would be a year of celebration. It made sense to me not only because I would be 50 years old at the end of the year, but also because this would be a good way to proclaim my place in this world, to praise my journey and finding new reasons to keep on walking my path.

Along it many things have happened and many times I thought that I should have chosen any other word except celebrate, but as the days went by I started to understand the true nature of a year devoted to celebration.

In fact, when the year started I thought that would be great to make visible my celebration mood. I made plans and set goals. But soon, the year had an unexpected twist and unbelievable things started to occur one after another. Some of them where just unforseen, some hard or truly painful and made my plans and goals simply irrelevant. I had no the time or the willingness to approach them:  the Universe lets me alone with my bare proposal and challenge me to celebrate anyway.

Also it may seem incredible, I was able to do it. Not in the well prepared and intricate mode that I planned, but in a simple, rough-and- ready way. My ego screamed and told me once and again that I was wasting my time. After all, our new year proposals can be (among many other things) a way to claim approval… but I turned a deaf ear to it and kept on doing it. 

And I did it. I did it!. Even in the darkest days I managed to find a pinch of hope, something to be thankful for, a lesson to learn... new perspectives, unexpected gifts, things to improve, things to enjoy... glimpses of the spirit… in short, reasons to celebrate. 

Amidst the chaos of my overloaded working days, I honored the chance to share what I have learnt (personal and professionally) with my students. Even when I was often tired and disappointed with university policy and the way the institution makes decisions, I have learnt to celebrate my role of professor and all the good things they can teach me. 

Amidst the complicated circumstances of my personal life (my husband was working outside the country nearly nine months), I honored the chance to cultivate calm and to be much more flexible regarding my expectations. Even when I felt overwhelmed and lonely some times and felt that I had many responsibilities, I have learnt to celebrate our love, myself, my strength and my brand new ability to let go drama. 

Amidst the hard health issues my friends were facing, I honored the chance to help and to be there for them. Even when many days I was sad and downhearted, I have learnt to celebrate life, my life, their life, and our powerful relationship.

Amidst the ageing process of my mom, all the changes related to it and all the work I have to do in order to keep her (and my brother) living at home, I honored the chance to give, to make their life easier and practice compassion. Even when I am totally frightened more times than I would like to recognize, I have learnt to celebrate every single second of our life together, and this existence as it is, with beginnings and ends, calms and storms, ups and downs.

It has been a year of complete acceptance. I have been able to say Yes! to what was happening to me in a given moment, to stop judging life even when events and circumstances were not so propitious as I expected, even when they caused me pain. 

Hoever, it has been a silent celebration. It has transformed in sacred all what has happened and has made me experience strong emotional and spiritual feelings for my life… a sort of deep communion with it.


Do you want to know more about my review of the last year? Please, follow this link: 
2014 in photos and words