Dear Spiritual Thursday Friends,
We are gathering again for the first Thursday of each month. This is an open invitation to any blogger who would like to join us. We post on the first Thursday of the month. Each month is hosted by a different blogger. We do not adhere to any specific religious affiliation. We are here to express our thoughts about how our spiritual lives are going. Let me know in the comments or by email if you’d like to be on the list of participants.
Blessings,
Margaret
I’ve been choosing a One Little Word to guide my year for many years now. I have a collection of MudLove bracelets that express my different words. I’ve even begun a practice of gifting little words to some of my friends. It’s probably against the OLW policy to assign someone a word, but the friends who receive one seem to like the idea. At an NCTE conference sometime around 2014, I was given a MudLove bracelet. I love wearing my word.
My word came to me while I was reading Jess Keating’s Epic Email.
Everything you need is inside you. The tough stuff alchemizes to create the good stuff. Your story is enough. What you value is enough. Your desire is enough.
Jess Keating, Epic Email
Today I listened to Glennon Doyle’s podcast We Can Do Hard Things. She said that January branding has got it all wrong with New year, New you. “It suggests we hate ourselves. It’s insulting.”
At our core, in our soul, we are who we are. And to quote Popeye, “I yam what I yam.” Who I am is enough. I do not need to change myself. Of course, I could exercise more or cook more often or get more involved in social activism. But who I am at 60 is the same me as I was at 50, 40, 30, 20, 10… Embracing my inner self gives me safety to open up for new experiences that enrich me. And if a challenge comes along, I am ready. I am enough.
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Reflections on the Teche 
What a beautiful word and idea for 2022..just be who one is. It is enough. Hmmmm. mudlove bracelet. I need to investigate that. I look forward to your reflections with enough this year. The past several years have been quite a ride. I hope that enough…carries you. I am blogging on my o-l-w. I’ll add my link. Guess what? I’m going into snow day #4 tomorrow!
And…..mud love had a bracelet with my o-l-w for 2022. How could I resist? Thanks for that link.
I had to get one as well, Linda! Wearing one’s word is a perfect daily reminder, Margaret.
Enough – a mighty OLW. Margaret. Especially in light of the Creator who meets us just as we are. When I wrote of “learn the unforced rhythms of grace” yesterday, I was thinking about the grace we must extend to ourselves in addition to others. I sense that very thing here in your words. Thank you for hosting and for setting us off on our spiritual journeys in 2022!
Margaret, thank you for hosting SJT and sharing your beautiful and bountiful one word. It is a strong word, filled with passion for who you are and I am sure we will enjoy taking a journey alongside you who champions a fierce warrior one word. Blessings to you on your journey.
[…] the first Thursday of each month I write with fellow sojourners about our spiritual journeys. Margaret Simon leads the way on this first Thursday of 2022 with reflections on “one little word,” the […]
Oh, “enough” was my OLW a couple of years back–it is very powerful! I also added “I’ve had enough” as a boundary setter that year. I hope it fills you and keeps you going in 2022!
My OLW is “believe”–the piece that I think has been missing in my goal-setting all these years. Here’s my link: https://horizon51.blogspot.com/2022/01/spiritual-journey-thursday-my-olw.html
Wonderful! And thank you for hosting! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
Thanks for this new logo and for hosting and for your mudlove! Yes, you certainly are “enough” and then some!!! ;0) You’ll have to read my blog to find my OLW, but I did choose one, and I feel that it will stay with me this time! Many blessings for the new year.
Margaret, this is lovely. The word ‘enough’ is a powerful and restorative lens for the year, I think.
I’m excited to join this circle of writers on ‘Spiritual Thursday,’ and hope this first post of mine is not too ‘off the beaten path.’ It was very much what was on my mind today! Here is my post –
https://maureenyoungingram.blogspot.com/2022/01/we-teach-each-other-always.html
I look forward to stretching my writing muscles in this new way, and getting to know each of you a little better! Happy New Year!
Welcome Maureen! Please send me an email with your email address so I can send you our google spreadsheet. Margaretsmn at gmail. I look forward to reading your post.
Margaret — What a perfect word for you to live this year. The MudLove bracelet in your picture is from a little shop near me. It is a lovely story of a company and a most magical place to visit. This year I ordered a mug with my word on it. I hope you find satisfaction in this year of “enough.”
I would love to visit Mudlove. I’ve been ordering words for years. Thanks for stopping by today. SOS is close to my heart. I hope to participate more this year.
I love your notebook page! It makes me want to create one for my word. Thanks for the thoughts you shared about enough. I had to stop to look up a mantra I used for awhile last year: “I am okay, I am enough. I am becoming.”
And now I want to listen to Glennon Doyle’s podcast!
I like reading how people find their words o sometimes the words find the people. I find that “I am enough” is the best statement for self-care. May your word serve you well.
Margaret, I am inspired by this and would love to participate if I qualify. My blog is not like yours — it’s a page on my website and I don’t post as frequently as I’d like, but I keep it as an avenue to travel when I have something to say. I am including a link here, and you can let me know if it doesn’t fit the profile: https://www.susankoehlerwrites.com/blog
That said, if it fits, I would love to participate in your Spiritual First Thursday. I love the idea.
Anyway, thank you for spreading such beauty in the world. There is never enough of that.
Susan
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I definitely need one of these bracelets. “Enough” is a perfect word for this year.
Susan, I went to your website/blog in search of a SJT post. We welcome you and your participation! Leave a note here once you’ve posted so we can read it.
Enough is such a good word.
Hi, Margaret. Thanks for the post.
One thing we’ve all had enough of is fear. And it is a huge barrier to spiritual growth.
I’m almost finished a book “The fear free mind” which is a (proven) psychodynamic technique to permanently remove fear from people.
I realise you are probably extremely busy, but I would love to get some feedback from you if you are feeling charitable (or curious: I’m told it’s reasonably entertaining and informative).
I have put the opening section here: https://deafInOneEye.com/
Please pop over and take a look if you have the time and the inclination.
Just to be clear: I am not asking you for an endorsement or whatever: just some feedback :-).
Thanks in advance.
Cheers,
e.
E, I did not have time to read it all, but your conversational tone makes it entertaining and easy to follow. It’s informative, too. Good luck to you. Keep Writing.