As long as I remember, I have always liked to say goodbye to the ending year and hello to the one that begins. Sometimes the ritual or symbolic differs somewhat, but the essential remains the same and above all it must be simple.
As if I am watching a film’s reel, I reflect on some of my proudest moments of 2016, my ups and downs, small or significant achievements, magical encounters with people around me, my steps towards personal transformations, and even if sometimes it was difficult and chaotic, I was trying to see the gift in it all for me. And above all, I honor my third year to live, travel and work full-time aboard our motorhome “Merci la vie” (Thank You Life).
The celebrations of New Year’s Eve with our friends, in Lo de Marcos Mexico, sowed much joy in me. Bernard conquered our little tummies with a succulent Indian meal accompanied by good wines. Rich conversations, communicative laughter, original desserts, divine digestives and lights that sparkled from all over the camp as if to invite us to enter blissfully in the new year.
We welcomed 2017, watching the Chinese lanterns floating above the Pacific Ocean. With our feet in the sand, we were on the front row of a luminous show with fireworks in harmony with the sound of the waves. Then the twelve “gong” of midnight resounded joyfully. A long kiss exchanged with my lover, hugs among friends, text messages and videos sent to our family … Really a year beginning gently.
Our morning of the first day of the year was marked by our telephone exchanges with our family and close friends. Exchanges of messages of peace and love. I also took time to “look” where I was going in 2017, metaphorically speaking, what roads to take, what changes to commit, my goals, my intentions … I spent a good part of the afternoon to just watch the ocean, trying to see and hear may be some answers for 2017. I greeted the void and the all at the same time… less being more. So I made the choice of not actually planning anything for 2017 and trusting that my road would offer me everything I would want and need … Less than more and above all create from nothing and everything.
My reflection at the beginning of the year continued during our first session of yoga of the new year, offered by Gaby, at the beach. Spontaneously, I offered our group a visualization before we started our class. An experience to dive on one side into our past, and on the other to explore our future to gently return to the moment “here and now”. A unique present moment where I asked each and every one to choose only one word or metaphor for this moment, that all of us, could carry through the year 2017. By leading our group in this experiment, my word suddenly came up to me. My word is curiosity.
My curiosity took off during the yoga class. Gaby kindly guided us beyond the basic positions. Between each of the exercises, she offered us accompanied meditations: breathing with the sea, laughing, calling a person, and remembering a chaotic moment. Our space was simply delicious, impregnated with different energies. And little by little my curiosity was pointing it’s nose too. At the end of our yoga session, I invited the group to deepen their reflection on the words that had found them. Just writing a word on a board or keeping it on view is not enough. It should be questioned gently: what does that word really mean, its definition, or how can we honor that word to ensure that it is present and alive in our daily lives.
Driven by this beautiful energy, I continued my day by stopping at Gary and Suzie in the campground, for a chat. We exchanged about the yoga experience. Suzie shared her word with Gary and I and I shared mine with them. It was really nice just to see the excitement of everyone when it came his or her turn to better define that word.
In the evening, I love reading in bed before the dodo. My tablet on my knees I hear a “ding” … an email has just came in. It is Gary who writes to me; He sends me a draft of his next article for his blog. It begins with “Christine Lecavalier stopped this morning and said her word for the year is curiosity. It is a wonderful word and I told her that curiosity is the foundation of learning. Because she will explore about everything she is curious about, her year will be one of learning. ”
Then, a little further in his article, Gary explains that his word is generosity. He is sensitive and inspired to think about how he might give and receive generously during part of this year. Wow! I reply that I am really touched that our short conversation this morning caused a certain magic in his mind, and even better, that the word generosity found him! I also wrote to him that he has a wonderful talent as an author. Gary knows how to dance with the words on his blog. He is so curious, that with a single word, a reading or an emotion, he is sparked to write a resonant article with a deep meaning and he is always generous to share it with all of us. I invite you to get acquainted virtually with Gary, by following this link Gary Gruber
This morning I slept in. There was a lot of stuff that led me to be attentive to my curiosity. The sea breeze that gently enters the porthole caresses my skin … I explore the gentleness. What is gentleness? What can I do to have more gentleness in my day … Then I get up and get ready to jump in the shower when my “Love” enters in the RV by slamming the door quickly … Outch I tell myself, don’t say a word and be curious to him. I decide to let him shake his energies and I look at him from the corner of my eyes. Of course I could have responded by telling him to stop this noise, because it bothers me, but I chose to be curious. Just that, it’s a step forward for me. Just trying and exploring with my curiosity will have allowed me to listen, hear, understand and see him.
It is so fascinating what a single word can make as difference. I am also curious about you; How did you enter the new year?
Happy New Year 2017 and … Merci la vie (Thank you life) !
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