It's 2022 - Time to blog again!

Good morning and Happy New Year. 

I have decided to participate like this lovely blogger in The Ultimate Blog Challenge during January this year. It will really be a challenge for me as my life is still so very busy  too busy! 

I wrote that my goal for this challenge would be to slow life down and to carve out some time for myself each day..... somehow! It's time to "gather what really matters to me" and to "build my shelter". Or is it rather that it's time to rebuild my shelter here on my blog? 

Let's mark this Day 1 of my blogging new year with this reminder. 

With hope let's venture into 2022 armed with all the love I have for this world..... let's get a vision first of all of where I find myself and over the challenge it may become clearer about where I am going to be venturing. 

It is the 4th January 2022, and this morning I have sat quietly at home thinking of one of my older sisters today, who is currently undergoing surgery on her left lung to remove a cancerous growth. When I first saw the reminder above, I felt afraid for my sister and so keenly aware that time is never promised to us. 

As our Mother's five daughters, we hold the grief of her loss at only aged 40 years too tightly sometimes. It has made us sometimes more fearful of illness; and for myself particularly, sometimes too afraid to live fully in my skin. 

I trust that my sister will recover well from her operation, as she tells me that the doctors have caught this at an early stage and do not envisage any complications. I have faith in what she told me. I am inspired by her courage and love. My big sis, may I learn from you.

I am reminded of a dear friend who died in 2018 and of Viktor Frankl. 

I've been away for the New Year with my new friend, and just got back last night. I spent yesterday on my own largely, which was really lovely; I also popped over to say hello to my son on the way home. 

I've loved this holiday season, it has felt full and abundant despite my misgivings about the plans on how to spend it. On New Year's Day I went for a lovely walk in nature, with my kind friend. 

I do plan to spend more time walking in nature this year. I plan to learn the names of the hills I can see in the distance, and of course of those I am walking on too. Also to learn the names of trees, and to recognise more birds and their songs.

I'm hoping to change my work life and create some time for myself in 2022. 

I'd love to spend more time painting and blogging, and exploring all of the things I love. 

Hopefully carving out some time here each day in January will help me become more intentional with my time.