One Word. Encapsulate the year in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2024 for you?

From years past: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010

So last year, I had hoped this year would be about movement. And maybe it could have been, especially with all the national parks and hikes that I did. The whole thing about really actually getting active in the physical sense.

But the last few months have suggested something else completely different.

So how can I choose any word except this: Grief

Because of different ways that life has created loss. Has caused a rupture in people, body, and a sense of the world. Quite naturally, everyone wants to look for the positive, but when things are holding you down, how can you? I am often jealous of the young person that I was of how I could have the space and time to dream big. But at this point, it’s like days are numbered.

And yet, of course, I can completely reframe this into something else. And it’s easy for me to do because I have been trained, skilled, practiced a lot of reframing. But the loss is still there. Maybe, I could say that next year will be change. I mean, technically, this isn’t the first time I had a significant life change that created such a rupture for myself. But this one, I can only hope that others, life, and forces beyond my control can fix the rupture.