A word of intent--Serenity

I don't know if any of you choose a "word of intent" for the coming year--I have, in the past, chosen PERSEVERE and PATIENCE. I persevered through a very stressful job situation as 40% of our national workforce was eliminated, the process seemed so random and illogical that everyone was terrified all the time. I was actually laid off and reinstated twice in four months. that was HARD!

Last year my word was patience--beginning with the job situation, which was finally resolved for the time being; my family dealt with the gradual loss of my mother--through dementia, Alzheimer's and finally to cancer. She left us peacefully on October 4th.

My husband was diagnosed with congestive heart failure at the end of October, and had open heart surgery on November 28th. He's home now and recovering rapidly, but our lifestyle has undergone some startling and rapid changes. With PATIENCE we are PERSEVERING.

And this brings me to this year's word--SERENITY. My desire is to embrace the changes and challenges each new day brings with calm, to let go of the stress with mindfulness and to ...be still... and open to God and the universe.

Wish me luck!

~written on December 31, 2012