my word

A single word can be a powerful thing. It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything. It can be sharp and biting or rich and soft and slow. From my own experience, it can be a spark for enriching your life.

In 2009, I chose one word for myself - a word that I could focus, meditate and reflect on as I went about my daily life. That year I chose gentle. It was a great choice and influenced me in ways I still feel. In 2010 I chose vitality. Again, a very good selection. It was motivating and kept me feeling alive.

I didn't choose a word to guide my 2011. {perhaps that's one of the things that i did wrong last year?}

These little words have been, simultaneously, what I needed and what I didn't know I needed. They've helped me to breathe deeper, to see clearer, and to grow.

I did not choose this year's word. It chose me. It's a word that makes me feel all clinchy and uncomfortable. It's a word that strips me of control. It's a word that conjures freedom, creativity and chaos. It's a word I desperately need, but don't really approve of. My word for 2012 is messy.

messy |ˈmesē|

adjective

sullied, spotted, stained, smeared, smudged;

disheveled, scruffy, unkempt, rumpled, matted, tousled;

bedraggled, tangled, disorderly;

in a muddle, chaotic, confused, disorganized, in disarray;

untidy, cluttered, in a jumble;

complex, intricate, tangled, confused, convoluted

confused and difficult to deal with

Lord help me. . .no doubt it's exactly what I need. . .