Purple Sunset ~ Best of 2006 ~ Lake Tahoe, December 2006
Happy New Year, everyone!
I spent the last 5 days retreating at a little cabin in Lake Tahoe. The picture above was taken from the porch. Isn't that just absolutely magical? It was truly a gift to have this view waiting for me when I woke up every morning, and at every sunset when I returned home, after playing in the snow. It gave me the opportunity to be grateful for my life every single day.
Whenever I am in a place of natural beauty like this, I'm always amazed at the clarity that immediately envelops me. Suddenly I know what is really important. That instance when I stop and look at the bigger picture, all the small stuff dissipates and I melt in wonder. In the last few days I experienced just that.
I was feeling calm and balanced, as I watched the snow gently falling down the road. The violet shadows on the white path, with no harsh edges, softening my heart. The branches of the trees feeling the weight, but gracefully taking on flake after flake. The crunchy sound I noticed, as my boots sank in at every step, and how I countered the slippery areas on my way with attention. The flatness of the lake as seen from my window, and at a closer look, its ripples and waves, reminding me of the need to step back for stillness. The sharp cold air piercing through my skin, proving me warm, and letting me know I was part of that moment.
There was hardly a need to think of New Year's resolutions in the greater scheme of things... I felt as whole as the world around me.
That's when I remembered a chapter in a book by Richard Carlson, where he suggests to ask a simple question everyday: What is really important?
So this is going to be my #1 intention for 2007: Focus on what really matters. When I'm rushing, working late, eating at my desk, skipping yoga, missing time with family and friends, facing a conflict, worrying... I'll try to observe if I'm loosing sight of what is important to me.
I believe we all know what we need to be happy. The real challenge is to be more aware of our decisions all day, all year long and throughout our lives, in order to appreciate and learn to be who we already are.
What is really important to you?
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