My Sunday Night Poetry Swaggers Group discussed the One Little Word tradition and found that everyone had a slightly different take on whether or not it was a good practice. Heidi challenged us to write about whether or not we word for the first Friday of the month. You can read their posts here:
I’ve been choosing a word each year for 7 years. I enjoy the process of trying to find the one right word to guide my year.
I’m a two on the Enneagram. That means I’m a giver, someone who spends most of their time trying to ingratiate others. The good side of a two is being helpful and selfless. The idea is to get better at being who you are. So I subscribe to an Enneathought of the Day. This came on New Year’s Eve.
Present has been my word before, but it continues to fit because being present is a constant goal. For 2019, my word was Grace. Grace goes beyond presence to actually live with the peace of knowing you are loved.
My word this year was suggested by my son-in-law who knows me pretty well. I wrote about Embrace in my Spiritual Thursday post yesterday.
I joined Michelle Haseltine’s #100DaysofNotebooking challenge and wrote about Embrace in my notebook. This challenge is not only a good way to restart a notebook practice, but it connects me to a new community of writers I can “embrace.”
I also received a serendipitous postcard from Irene Latham. The poem just makes me want to embrace her and embrace writing.
Here is a second draft of my Embrace poem:
Embrace says yes to now,
holding on tight to this one moment
finding a heart full of love.Embrace is a word of grace,
silently listening, open
for the world to fill.Embrace is here for you
to welcome, knowing nothing
ever stays the same.Embrace!
Margaret Simon, draft 2020
Do you choose a word? a resolution?
Reflections on the Teche 
So lovely, the poem from Irene. Tingly truths. Yep. She nailed it. Hooray for you for notebooking! I have decided to notebook as I can in my digi notebook…and forgive myself for days that I can’t get to it. It’s part of my, “at ease” initiative. Your word embrace is just wonderful for a year of growing little ones and daughters, sons-in-law growing into fuller understanding of relationship. I just know embrace will bless more than just you.
[…] at A Word Edgewise Heidi at My Juicy Little Universe Margaret at Reflections on the Teche, and Catherine at Reading to the […]
“Embrace” is a wonderful OLW and perfect for your life right now. I’m impressed that you’ve joined in the notebooking challenge and are embracing that new community as well as so many others. Finally, I love Irene’s poem and those “tingly truths.” Happy New Year!
I love all your post, Margaret & the process through to arriving at your choice. And, love that “open/for the world to fill.” fits so beautifully.
Embrace. A lovely word for a very loving lady. I love reading your thinking about how you chose your word and about how it’s already starting to grow and evolve. And then Irene’s poem, with that line, “your deliberate unmittened heart.” Perfect for you!
Embrace also implies choice — making a choice and sticking with it. Or, as Irene’s poem says,
“arms tight
flung w i d e
tight again”
This post is so full of intrigues–enneagrams, 100 days of notebooking, grace and embrace, slicing and skating. I see why, like Catherine’s “perspective,” “embrace” is a wide enough word to serve for a whole year. You do your 2ing with a deliberate, unmittened heart indeed!
I wish you expanding journeys this year with your OLW – embrace has already wrapped it’s heart around you, have fun together. I liked hearing about enneagrams, and the Institute too, thanks Margaret!
Embrace is a perfect word for you, Margaret! I have never heard of the Enneagram Institute, but know for a fact that you are a giver. Your poem is brimming with generosity, from its “heart full of love” to its “silent listening.” Simply lovely.
What a lovely poem on embrace, and thank you for sharing Irene’s poem, too! I am not at all surprised you’re a giver on the Enneagram.Embrace is a great choice–I haven’t chosen a word for 2020. I usually choose one and then kind of forget about it. So…I’m thinking (late) about whether I want to even choose one this year. I’ve been working on lots of plans and resolutions for myself, though. Happy 2020!