The Power & Beauty of One Little Word

See my word in this eye?

 

I haven’t written about her yet.  But she moves powerfully as she threads through my psyche.

Therapeutic sand play: considering events of last year

I went to a retreat right before the new year. I hadn’t even heard of sand play before, but I got to try it. Highly recommend. When I played in the sand and chose small statues and toys to represent parts of my life across the past year something wonderful happened. I was able to view the year from a vantage point outside of myself. I was able to wash away the difficulties and recognize the growth. The sand play was cathartic.  It was amazingly cathartic.

Not the fireplace I used. Mine wasn’t so fancy.

 

I did some journaling, burning small strips of paper on which I’d written thoughts I wanted to let go, to release from my life. I love this practice. It is so good to let things go.  The private ceremony I created saw me standing in front of an outdoor fireplace, tossing in the words and watching them burn and the smoke rose into the sky. I could physically feel the weight lifting. I sat for a time and I breathed. Ahhhhhh.

I then turned my focus forward toward 2015. It was while looking through photographs and considering the year ahead that my one little word (OLW) appeared.  It surprised me.  You see, my OLW is neither deep nor compelling in a traditional sense. It’s not any of these power words.

But it is spot on for me this year.

It is light, easy, and beautiful.

My one little word tells me I don’t have to be deep. I don’t have to be compelling. I can open my heart and mind to lightness. I’ve been far too serious across my life. I’m ready for some levity.

But my one little word is not insignificant in its lightness. It speaks of reflection and mirroring the magnificence I see in others right back to them. It’s able to simply be what it is because it cannot be anything else. There is so much ease and grace in that. I may go through difficult times this year. “It’s okay”, my OLW whispers.  “I can just BE in quiet darkness too.” Already I am growing in unexpected ways. All I must do is be. I can “do” me. I can simply sparkle.

My one little word for 2015: Sparkle

 

 

Thanks to Stacey, Anna, Beth, Tara, Dana and Betsy at “Two Writing Teachers” for creating a place for us to share our work.  What a beautiful community of people who read, write and support one another. Learn more and read more slice of life posts at Two Writing Teachers .