Thursday, February 17, 2011

one little word


Last year, my word for the year was plan. I may have made some progress, but I'm not sure I did a whole lot with it. That may or may not have something to do with the fact that I wanted to change my word about 2 months into the year to order, but Marc had given me a plan necklace, so I felt like I should stick with it.

So I kind of assumed that order would be my word for 2011. But then, towards the end of 2010, I started thinking a lot about the word remember. I have such a terrible memory, and so many things I want to remember.

Again, I thought I had my 2011 word nailed down, but then a lot of things kept coming up that had to do with hope. Quotes that were resonating with me. I even noticed a string of my own Sunday thoughts were centered on hope. I do have hope in the big picture. I know that things are going to turn out okay. But sometimes I forget to feel hopeful in the short run, in the everyday chaos of my life. I started to feel really good about hope, to think that this word and I might need to become more familiar with each other. I think that focusing on hope in my daily life will lead me to be less negative, and ultimately happier.

Then one evening, I was talking to Jill on the phone. She asked if I had chosen my word for the year yet. I told her that I was 95% sure it was going to be hope. Shortly after that, I told her that I had ordered my necklace and was waiting for it to arrive. She burst out laughing. Then, and only then did I realize that apparently I had already chosen my word.

Gosh, do you think I should have gone with remember?? Good. grief.


hope

1. the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best
2. grounds for this feeling in a particular instance
3. a person or thing in which expectations are centered
4. to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence
5. to believe, desire, or trust


"The very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance, but live right in it, under its roof."— Barbara Kingsolver

7 comments:

Susan said...

Hope. It's good. I think you have something perfect there.

Hope. Perfect.

patsy said...

I love it.
It feels good to me to think of the work- hope. I chose not to choose a word this year but this post has me rethinking that decision.

Jill said...

I think this is an excellent word for the year! I love how wearing the necklace helps to remind and reinforce the choice to focus on it, plus it's just plain cute.

The 95% conversation was so funny!

Melinda said...

I love that necklace. Plus hope is a really great word.

jt said...

Cute, and I can't wait to get mine! How long did yours take to get to you?

shannon said...

Hope is a good word...
I always choke up when I watch Shawshank Redemption (the edited version, of course!) The ending gets me every time when Morgan Freeman says, "I hope to be able to cross the border, I hope to see my friend and shake his hand, I hope that the pacific is as blue as it is in my dreams...I hope."

I chose "balance" as my word a few years ago and ironically, within a week or so, I was more out of balance than ever!

I want to choose a word that I can really stick with! I'm thinking EAT perhaps? tee hee

The necklace is really pretty. I love the pearl bobble that's attached...

crystal said...

I love your necklace! Where'd you get it? I'm going to copy.

I love your word. I can't wait to read many, many posts with Hope as the foundation of your thoughts.

xo

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...