Announcing...(ta dum!) the "Theme" for 2009...

I do not do New Year's resolutions--no lists of what I will or won't do or objectives to take me along a tidy path to an ultimate goal. Instead, many years ago, I started declaring a "theme" for the year. I know that I am not the only person who does something like this and it has been a fun way for me to focus in on things that matter to me. Some years are really tough and it is all I can do to come up with something very simple (there was the year my only theme was to try to do a better job at keeping the refrigerator cleaned out), and other years I feel a bit more ambitious. When I turned 30, I made up my mind that I would spend the year writing 30 hand-written letters. The other night while I was talking to my sister, Tricia, on the phone she asked me if I had come up with a focus for 2009 and I was so tickled and flattered that she remembered my game. "Why yes!" I said, "I have..."

The theme for 2009 is something I'm calling the Triple A's: Activism, Activity and Appreciation. I couldn't settle on just one focus so I decided that I'm feeling rather ambitious on the eve of 2009 so I'm going for all three. My recent determination to get more involved and reinvigorate my activism sparks inspired the first A. My recent health changes and the almost-daily exercise and new-found energy inspired the second A, and the final A is really an evolving desire to celebrate all the marvelous gifts and opportunities that move through my life on a daily basis.

Tricia also suggested that I blog a bit about my challenges and experiences as I focus on the Triple A's in '09 and I think that sounds like a marvelous idea. So, periodically, don't be surprised if I wax on a bit about my efforts of activism, activity or share some of my observations and experiences of appreciation. Last year I shared my theme of beginning my art collection (and I am pleased to confess that I acquired several lovely pieces in 2008 and plan to continue working on building my collection) here in the blog and I hope you'll indulge me as I march into 2009 and the year of the Triple A's!