A Good Year

[intertext]

It's not over yet, but I plan to put my feet up and watch movies and maybe even go to bed early tonight, so thought I would post a few reflections.

It has been a good year. I found myself still in the process of recovery from grief and getting used to being alone after ten years of intensive care-giving. It's amazing how difficult learning to be happy can be, sometimes. I'm not always successful, but at least I'm learning to get help when I need it.

Friendships have been a delight. I have some lovely new ones, and some old casual friends are becoming much more important friends, and old friends are still there, solid as a rock. I had a vague resolution to be more social this past year, and I think I can say I've succeeded.

I went to Paris!!!!!!

I still have both my dogs, and they are still wonderful, and Cholmondeley is 14 1/2 but remarkably well, if a bit frail.

Clio-the-cat continues to keep me warm at night, relaxed in the evening, and well aware of my inferiority.

I don't do resolutions, really, but I want to lose a few pounds, get a little fitter, read more, write even more than that, and learn to be a little more - balanced - about life. Perhaps writing them here will give those wishes a bit more power.

May 2008 bring all my dear LJ friends every blessing and delight: good books, good movies, good food, good company, solace in nature, laughter, and a new season of Battlestar Galactica!!!!!

Comments

[lady-schrapnell.livejournal.com]

Wow - this is so beautifully expressed.

I'm with you in the desire to learn to be more balanced about life. My younger daughter and I are still trying to work out how to involve the purchase of fabulous notebooks in our plan to be each other's coaches in this goal.

[superfoo.livejournal.com]

I think we all could use some more balance, but it's the hardest thing to achieve.

I can tell you from experience keeping a journal that it CAN help. Since I have been writing here from the embarrassing age of 15, I can tell you that each year you can see your progress. I don't usually look back on older posts, because, well, they are a bit . . . immature, but sometimes I will look back on pivotal points (like my Nana's death, breakups, all the crap with my mom), and think, "wow. I've come a long way." Maybe this is more pronounced for me because I have "grown up" on my blog or something, but even in the last few years when stability of emotions and strengthening of maturity has been present, I still look back and see my own personal little achievements. And sometimes I see things I still need to work on that I didn't realize were still there, which is useful. And besides, I guess we're always "growing up" in the sense that somehow, uply grown is an ideal state of being.

In any case, I truly believe that writing will help you a great deal in any area of life, whether it is recording your personal and private thoughts, or sharing interests, or showing/needing advice or support. And, it's a pretty neat record to have of thoughts, life, and everything.

[lalouve.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on the learning to be happy - not being happy becomes a habit, and one that is surprisingly hard to break. I'm making progress and I hope you are, too.