Goodbye Shine

Every year, I pick a word of the year. Why do I do it? To help me step from the old year into the new. And words are important to me. For many years, I made my living using words. Even now, working in clay, many of my pieces have words on them, in them, around them. 

I’ve always loved to read. As a child the library was a place of wonder and delight. Books were my safe space. A place to go and learn and imagine a life different than my own. Now, I look to words for guidance, inspiration, and comfort. 

Shine?

Last year’s word was Shine. I look back at it and wonder. Really? Shine? At the time, my water damaged kitchen was in pieces: the sink was plastic, the kind you see at outdoor festival bathrooms, the floor was dug up like an archeological dig of the past, countertops and cupboards were missing. 

I know, I was being hopeful and optimistic and determined. I was going to ‘shine on’ anyway. I was not going to let it all get me down. I was going to fight to get what was needed to make my home whole again. I tried. Some days it worked, some not.

Shine through anyway. 

As always, art saved me. Throwing and rolling clay in my studio lightened my spirit. Even spending months in a hotel without my studio space, I painted with old watercolors. I crocheted baskets, hats and a small throw. 

Ok, I also watched a lot of HGTV. I saw old termite infested houses rebuilt. Viewed some amazing redesigned kitchens and bathrooms with gleaming tile, countertops and floors. I looked at all of this while my own home was getting torn apart. It took months but, finally all the messy pieces became whole again. Now, my countertops, sink and floors ‘shine’, too. 

Goodbye 2022.

It’s been a year. If I’m really honest, I’m relieved to say goodbye to 2022. It was challenging on so many levels. But then, so have the last three years! With all that’s happened, I really don’t know what to expect. I tried to ‘shine on’ in spite of it all. But like many, I’m burned out and tired of the worry and the stress.  

But maybe,

Just maybe, 

I’ll find a new word to give me, and maybe you, a little light to follow into this next year.