Fear of the Dark

Do you remember the first time you were afraid? Of screwing up your face, pinching your nose and jumping feet first into the cold water? Of stepping foot to foot impatiently as each person was called and fearing that you would be the last one chosen for the team?

In how many ways are we fearful? And we are fearful of something, if we are honest, regardless of our size or stature or number of degrees after our name.

We are fearful of being late for curfew or not getting accepted at the college of our choice.

We are fearful of not living up to expectations, or not living down our past.

We are fearful of never getting out of a relationship, or not finding the right one.

Regardless of our adult size, we are all "little" inside...sometimes. We might be facing our first headstand, our first half-marathon, or a really important job interview.

And yes, let's admit it "We are afraid!". But let's also use that fear towards our first courageous step in a new direction.

Before I take my first dip into the deep end (after an absence of several years), I will do something to be better prepared, to change my perspective.

Today, I will go buy a new pair of swim goggles.

Year End 2011

It is with some difficulty that some of us turn this last page of the calendar. How could it have gone so fast,although some days seemed endless, while we waited for tomorrow to come.

How many things did we get to "check off" our lists and how many did we add? Yes, thank goodness that carry-overs are allowed!

How many special, dear people left our lives and how many wonderful, spectacular people added to our joy? Don't let us ever forget that every goodbye was once a hello.

How many headstands did we accomplish, mountains did we scale, books did we read, words did we pen? Most of us will not have won a Giller Prize, set a world record (in anything!) or made a medical discovery. But still all our "little things", each step we took to our half-marathon, each photograph we took, each thing we said "no" to, have made us the person we are today on December 31st 2011.

 Praise and celebrate each tear we've shed, each smile that lit our face, each lesson learned these last 365 days. We are today, because of them.

Cheers for a wonderful New Year's evening. Be well, be safe.