The word for 2009

This is the second year that I've chosen a word to guide me rather than making resolutions that would result in my becoming perfect, if only I would keep them instead of failing to keep them.

"Acceptance" was a very useful word for 2008. I had some difficult to acknowledge truths to recognize and admit to myself. A betrayed trust, people making bad choices that I could neither approve of nor change their minds about, and facts including that I am neither young nor dead, so while I may not have the resiliancy of youth, I am not yet ready or willing to stop living and growing.

2008 was a year to let go of old dreams and illusions; delusions perhaps. 2008 was a year to open my emotional hand and let go of perfectionism, too.

As 2009 starts, I feel the need to build. I want to make the place where I am a place I want to be. I want to learn, to master, to see what I'm capable of and to put some excitement into my life.

The word for 2009 is "cultivate". I'm going to get to work on growing myself a wonderful life to live in.