New year - new focus

The new year has arrived and with it, the desire to make resolutions, to ponder one's past and dream of the future, and make plans to move along the course desired.   Is there anything I wish to do differently this year? What changes shall I strive for?  In what direction do I want to head?

I grew up writing resolutions on many a New Year's Day, promises of new daily tasks or behaviors I wished to emulate.  More recently, instead of compiling lists (such as: I will exercise more often; I will make my bed everyday; etc),  I've narrowed my list of resolutions down to a single word.  One little word to be my word of the year, to encapsulate the new year and all my dreams for the future.  But which word should I select?  (no pressure ....nope, none, at all....).

 

My first thought was to use Nourish as my one word for 2016.  While reading the definition of nourish, and I realized that Nurture would be a better fit for this year. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines nurture as ....

      1:  to help (something or someone) to grow, develop, or succeed

• Teachers should nurture their students' creativity.
• a professor who nurtures any student who shows true interest in history

      2:  to take care of (someone or something that is growing or developing) by providing food, protection, a place to live, etc.

• The study looks at the ways parents nurture their children.
• You have to carefully nurture the vines if you want them to produce good grapes.

       3: to hold (something, such as an idea or a strong feeling) in your mind for a long time

• She nurtured a secret ambition to be a singer.
• nurture a dream/grudge

I love all three of these statements.

I am positive that nurture must be my word for 2016.

Why?
  

Because .... this is the year my teenagers graduate from high school and head off to college.

Oh my!  

They are my only children, making this the year that our empty nest begins.  

My dream for 2016 is to continue helping my teenagers enjoy and succeed in their adventure of transitioning from high school to college and providing as much of their basic needs as I can (from prom to college dorms and beyond).  Finally, I want to nurture my own hopes and dreams.  What do I want to be when I grow up?  Do I wish to return to teaching toddlers (two-year-olds turning three) in preschool again? (Note: I'm currently taking one year off - I consider this my sabbatical year, a year to recharge.)   Or should I return to teaching high school?  (Second note: This was my occupation before I became a Mom.)  Or shall I be daring and adventure into a new area entirely-- perhaps pursue job opportunities in quilting or sewing or .... Gosh, suddenly I can think of so many possibilities!  Perhaps I need to take time and nurture my passions, nurture my family, and figure out my dreams for 2017 so I can use my time in 2016 to get started.

N  is for Nurture.

The GeoAlphabet Pattern (above is one letter) will soon be released by Quiet Play.  

I have been fortunate this fall to join the pattern testing team of Kristy's and must confess that this is actually the Z turned on its side, morphing instantly into a fabulous N.

It's been several years since my last selection of 'my word for the year'.  

Click here to read about the year I choose two words, 

and 

click here to learn about my year of focus.