Beauty, the word I chose for my focus word for 2020, seemed to mock the events that unfolded in early March and following: the pandemic, political strife, urban uproar all contributed to create a topsy-turvy world.
Still, nature cycled through seasons, revealing its loveliness, unperturbed. The amaryllis I received as a gift in late 2020, trumpeted this truth:
As this turbulent year came to an end, I pondered, What WORD to choose in 2021? . . .
Then, author/blogger Linda Hoye published a blog post showcasing the word beyond, a word that immediately resonated with how I feel about moving past the negativity of 2020. The word Beyond can be used as a preposition, adverb, or even a noun. Thus, my focus this year is moving “beyond the pandemic” to a shinier future in a more serene setting.
BEYOND, savor the word for a minute . . .
How I Picture the Year Ahead and What I’m Aiming for . . .
Creativity, maybe venturing beyond my comfort zone of memoir, short story and haiku. Perhaps collecting blog posts thematically into a book. Maybe entering more contests with wild abandon. Win or lose, I’ve probably made something good in the process, as Erin Napier of HGTV’s Hometown is fond of saying to her viewers.
Balance: Novelist Nick Hornby, in a 2015 interview in The New Yorker, likens the process of crafting innovative literature to standing on a ball:
“You can do it for a couple of minutes. Then you to fall off and get back on again in a completely different position.” (Italics mine) Much like viewing an object from an aerial position . . .
Spiritual Sensitivity, as I journey through 2021 writing daily in my gratitude journal. Like Catherine Marshall in Beyond Our Selves, I will continue meditating on forgiveness, love, beauty in the everyday, suffering, miracles, prayer, both answered and unanswered, and healing for self and for my friends.
* * *
Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above [beyond] all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. ~ Ephesians 3:20, 21
My wish for you in 2021!
But the land whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, . . . A land which the LORD thy God careth for; the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.
~ Deuteronomy 11:11-12
May your experience in the valley be brief and manageable. May your stay on the hills be exhilarating, like on a mountaintop!
Guide words from earlier years
Advance 2015
Wholeheartedness 2016
Focus 2017
Intention 2018
Publish 2019
Beauty 2020
What word seems appropriate for you this year?
What beauty have you encountered in 2020?
Your goals for the new year?
Good morning, Marian! I wish you a year full of beauty–and beyond–full of joy and creativity.
Joy and creativity right back to you, Merril, once again commenter-number-one!
Your benediction especially resonates with me here. My dad as deacon frequently served as liturgist (we’d call it today in our church), reading scripture, prayer, sometimes doing the benediction. This was one of my favorites and when I hear or read it now, I hear his voice … “Now unto him who is able …” I love those words “exceeding abundantly.” What a blessing.
I don’t pick a yearly word but I’m excited about where “beyond” may take you!
Your comment about your dad intoning a benediction reminds me of our minister at Bossler Mennonite Church raising his right hand and saying those sweet verses from the end of Jude: Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
In my books, you always go “Beyond,” even in retirement, never faltering with regular blog posts and other writing. Kudos to you, Melodie!
Beyond is a faith-filled word. It has built-in hope. A great word! My goal for the new year is to continue to embrace whatever comes and find the beauty (another good word) in it. Blessings to you!
When I read your blog posts, I know I’ll find something thoughtful: a thing of beauty of words of wisdom. Thanks for your encouragement here – and there – this past year, Arlene!
Beyond…we all need to see beyond last year don’t we Marion. My word is Brave …when this horror movie is over I need to BRAVE the new world .
Nature has been a comfort to me and silence , I adore silence it keeps me calm .
Cherryx
Gosh, dear Cherry, we have this in common too: silence. Silence keeps me calm. Nature helps me breath.
Go ahead and be brave in 2021, when each day brings us closer to the end of the horror of last year. ((( )))
You always pick good words. Beyond is an excellent choice. I think you saw my goals and three words already on my blog – Strength, love, hope. That amaryllis is beautiful. May your 2021 be all you need it to be, my friend.
Darlene, you indeed do personify all three virtues: strength, love, hope – and tons of creativity. Thanks for the good wishes for 2021. I hope this year you will be able to visit your Canadian family. 🙂
Good Morning, Marian. I commend you for your clarity of thought and creative projections. ( And your amaryllis is stunning) At the moment, I feel stuck in a rut—exhausted and unable to nudge myself out of it. But, reading your words inspires me to revisit my own intentions. Beautiful post, as usual!😊
I felt exactly as you do now about a month ago. After I intentionally took a break, I feel ready to go. When I need another break I’ll take it. Sometimes I do a mini-break with a Wordless Wednesday, which would work any day of the week, even on a Monday. 😀
Give yourself a “recess” anytime you want or need to. You have loyal readers. Thanks for the lovely photo greeting this season. I didn’t send out Christmas cards, intending last year to send a family portrait. It will happen this year. There’s always HOPE, as you often remind me, dear Kathy!
Marian — I wish you health and happiness BEYOND your wildest dreams.
To Ms. Always-Going-Beyond: I admire you for making your dreams into reality and at a fast clip. Here’s to Wild Dreams – and Beyond, Laurie!
Beautiful, Marian! Great post! What a great goal–to go beyond. Love it! The perfect word for 2021!
Thank you, L. Marie. When I see your name I always think of your extreme generosity as a writer and blogger. Cheers to you in 2021!
Marian, you never fail to inspire, and “beyond” is indeed a word that lifts one’s soul above all that would try to hold us in a place of despair and apathy. I will be praying this year that God keeps you close to Him and you will have joy and peace beyond what this world offers. Hugs.
The world does not offer joy and peace. It never fails to find the negative and broadcast it. So, dear friend Jenn, thank you for holding me in prayer this year. I do need it! ((( )))
I suspect we all will need extra prayer. 🙂
Hi Marian, your amaryllis pictures are wonderful, I love them too. Beauty is a wonderful choice of word for 2021.
When I see your name, I see the word INSPIRATION. Thanks, Robbie, for your kind voice in cyberspace, so in need of positivity and beauty. 🙂
Lovely post, inspiring words for these times.
My word for the year is “onward”; it speaks of movement forward. In the face of increasingly challenging health issues, I choose to forge ahead, wading through information often hidden from a lay person’s eyes. Wisdom garnered on how best to proceed is moving onward and coping.
Ginger, I have a prayer card where I list petitions. Now I will put your name on it and remember you and your health issues during my meditation time. I like your positive outlook, which will help you in garnering the best information and moving forward. ONWARD is the perfect word for you, dear friend! Thanks for commenting here once again. ((( )))
Happy New Year to you and yours, Marian. I like your word for this year.
I have chosen two words this year: Acceptance and Change. This past year has been a hard and disturbing year. The loss has been overwhelming and the political scene has been so chaotic that it often brought me to tears. In order to move through it I am learning to “accept the things I cannot change, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Known as the Serenity Prayer, I’m grateful for those words and choose to continue the work of accepting and changing my attitude throughout this New Year.
Let’s fill it with love and laughter!
Your words Acceptance and Change suggest resilience, dear Joan. I’d rather not change, but living in this world requires it, for sure. I can certainly embrace the serenity prayer. And thanks for the reminder to laugh. We had to move stoically through a difficult year, so laughter is good medicine.
Stay well, you and Bill. May you have a good year, filled with happy surprises!
Beautiful amaryllis Marian. I love them so. Your choice of word for the year is excellent and I love the spiritual symbolism of it. And where you aim to go with it. Unsure of my choice of word. If I had to choose a word, I would choose hope. Hope for a better world for all, hope that the virus exits, hope for peace. Hope that Nature keeps on giving abundantly.
HOPE is always a great word. How else can we make it from day to day? I hope for a more peaceful world too, less discord, and an exit to the Virus. Thank you for noticing that nature keeps on giving in spite of what’s going on with humanity. I believe you are in the midst of summer now in South Africa. Enjoy it to the hilt, Susan and family! 🙂
May you and Linda both take the word “beyond” to new heights in 2021! You do a good job of using your theme words to focus, not just in January but throughout the year. Many blessings.
May you have a blessed year, one of happy surprises, dear Shirley.
I pray that the eyes of the LORD thy God will always be upon you and your family, endowing you with hope and restoration of health, body and soul, “from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.” Thank you for your thoughts, always insightful. ((( )))
I have not been successful with the amaryllis in the past. I received it one year as a gift, but it didn’t blossom, so I gave up on it. You make me want to try it again, go “Beyond” my comfort zone. It’s such a beautiful flower. Catherine Marshall’s writing has greatly influenced my life. Not sure I’m familiar with “Beyond Our Selves.” Will go downstairs and check it out, and maybe immerse myself again in Marshall’s books. Wishing you a year in 2021 that is “beyond” anything you have experienced. Growing in “wisdom and stature” never ends!
I read Catherine Marshall as a young girl: A Man Called Peter, for sure, and probably Christy, which was published in the 1960s. I hope you find a volume of hers in your library to read – or reread. Her writing is calming to me.
Yes, amaryllis like light, so maybe you will be successful on another trial. I have found it takes a while for the bulbs to put forth a shoot, but then after a while, a wee bud appears and from then on growth accelerates. I planted another amaryllis from my daughter, and it is slow, slow, but the stem is still green, so I have hope.
Just now I saw a shiny new post from you in my in-box. I will certainly read and respond.
I wish you and Hardy a year of good health and a chance to enjoy your family, maybe face to face once again! 🙂
Happy New Year, Marian! What a gorgeous amaryllis that is! I’d be glad to have it in my garden. As for your new resolutions for 2021, I wish you all the best. I love the idea of collecting your blogs thematically into a book. Go for it! 👍
Thanks for the good wishes, Fatima. Last week I saw an author who had been blogging for only a year or two collect her posts into a book, which gave me an idea. I don’t know whether it will become a reality for me, as I have nearly 8 years of posts to plow through. Never, say never though. Right?
Happy new year to you and Peter, all the best! 😀
I’m loving your title for this post because I can hear my ancestors saying this approved ejaculation, “My word!” when surprised or shocked. (No swearing was allowed.)
I also listen for a word; this year I’m still wavering between “Mother” and “Compost.” I feel that enough de-composition of our society has gone on that now we can start benefiting from the Compost. A quote from Mester Eckhart speaks to my attraction to Mother: “We are all meant to be mothers of G-d, for G-d is always needing to be born.”
Which one speaks loudly to you?
Happy New Year.
Dolores, my mother said “My word” often enough so it sticks in my mind as well.
About your two word choices. I think “Mother” speaks to me more because it seems more inclusive than “compost.” You could go so many places with “Mother” – the earth, birth, rebirth, fertility, nurturing. I look forward to hearing what you come up with. And blessings on your new year. Thanks for stopping by with your thoughts, always original! 🙂
Thank you Marian.
Excellent choice of words and the amaryllis is beyond beauty.
Valentina, as an author and designer, you have a sharp eye for beauty. Thank you for commenting here again as I recall you did when I featured the Queen back in December. May you have a wonderful 2021 year ahead. 🙂
Thank you Marian. I wish you a splendid 2021.
😀
Beyond…we all need to see Beyond or we would go under ,,get stuck in the mire…Your flower is lovely and chosen well…your colour, Marian…I am torn and haven’t picked a word yet…
I like how you contrast “beyond” and “under,” one suggesting advancing and not giving up. Thanks for acknowledging the beauty of the amaryllis. I know you have many gorgeous blooms in Thailand, some which I’ve seen on your blog. I’ll look forward to reading the guide word you’ve picked. Thanks for all this, Carol! 🙂
My pleasure, Marian I always look forward to your posts…My words are down to Become, Embrace or to Just be …x
I really like the idea of using the word BEYOND for 2021. I often try to go “beyond” myself and my own little world through meditation (and prayer, both are the same to me) either sitting cross legged on the floor or walking through the winter wonderland or the summer greenery. I go BEYOND when I write, I go BEYOND when I make cookies with a grandchild. I go BEYOND when I water and stroke my flowers (and your amaryllis is perfection – the cheeriest flower in December!), I go BEYOND when I read wonderful books. I go BEYOND when Im with a friend talking about nothing and everything and laughing. I go BEYOND when my guy hugs me and whispers in my ear. I go BEYOND when one of my adult children call me and talk about their lives on the phone. Oh my goodness, I never knew all this until I read your post and responded. THANK you, Marian. Here’s to lots of BEYOND in the new year.
Reading your BEYOND examples has cheered up my heart no end this cool, January morn. I can relate to every one of them, but especially “I go BEYOND when one of my adult children call me and talk about their lives on the phone.” You remind me that they have jobs, take care of children, and live life in the fast lane, so when I/we get a morsel of their time, it’s like GOLD. Thanks for all the detail, and reminding me of how I am blessed! ((( )))
Xoxoxo
We are definitely of the same mind,, my friend! oxo
I like your choice for your word of the year. I’ve never known anyone who picked it before, but your explanation of what it means to you rings true with me. As you traverse the hills and valleys of your daily life, BEYOND will guide you to good places. I just know it.
Thanks for being so DEFINITE, dear Ally. Here’s to more mountaintop experiences, away from the daily grind – my wish for both of us! 🙂
Wishing you a New Year of beauty and blessings, beyond your expectations! 💞
The alliteration makes it easy to recognize and appreciate Beauty and Blessings Beyond belief in 2021. Thanks for being so very upbeat, Bette! 😀
Beauty has been my survival idea since March 2020–and for me this includes spiritual beauty. And Love however it arrives, even in the form of a black rescue puppy. Thank you for sharing your love-filled and spiritual perspective, as well as your history and this beautiful flower. Thank you for reminding me of the goodness of my childhood religion. You’re in the company of Br. David Stendl-Rast and Bishop Desmond Tutu who remind me that Jesus came to teach us about Love. And then there is Mother Teresa and my Jungian teacher Marian Woodman who loved to quote verses from the Bible as well as poetry and Shakespeare.
For now, I’m sticking with Beauty and Love to get me through the next 2 weeks and then to hold me together until this pandemic backs down. It’s scary to go out into the world, but fortunately not scary in my forest. Sending you New Year’s Blessings and another word we need: Hope!
Ha, Elaine! Reading your comment reminded me how scary it was to go into a forest in fairy tales and how you see it now as a refuge, as do I. You may remember from my memoir that Grandma’s woods was a place of adventure and shelter for me as well during my childhood. I agree: Nature in all its forms is restorative. We give it our body’s carbon dioxide and it breathes out generous puffs of oxygen.
Here in Florida, vaccines are beginning to be dispensed to folks in health centers, so I hope I will be on their radar at least by February. At my age, I would certainly qualify. 🙂
Thank you for acknowledging the scriptures which I turn to for Love, Solace, and Beauty. May your 2021 be filled with happy surprises which you’ll enjoy with Disco frolicking by your side. HOPE, too, springs eternal!
Great word! The year has started off really badly, so looking for beauty is still necessary in these uncertain political times.
Yes, dear Lady Fiona, God provides the beauty in every season. Only man desecrates it with abuse and ugliness. You and I will continue to search out the beautiful. Thank you! 🙂
Interesting how in the world of literature being in a “valley” has negative connotations, while in the physical world, I’d rather be in a valley (fertile soil, warmer weather, flat surfaces) than on top of a mountain (barren, challenging, cold). 🙂
I like your word for 2021, Marian. It sounds perfect for what is behind us and for what might be. For some reason, I didn’t feel like doing effort picking a word or choosing goals for 2021. Whatever happens, happens. I like just seeing and experiencing how life unfolds. I feel tired, so that’s all the energy I can muster towards the future.
As you know the “beauty” for me in 2020 was publishing my memoir and gaining funds (mostly from Mark’s job). In 2021, we will (hopefully) take it a bit easier and enjoy our travels – locally or internationally – again. And, I really hope to read a book a month! 🙂
Oh, Liesbet, as a world traveler on both land and sea, I have to respect your perspective. Ha!
I wonder if the idea of scaling a mountain suggests the hard effort of huffing and puffing to reach a goal at the top. Then too, eagles soar by going HIGH-er. Either way you look at it, I see the wisdom in each, and I’m glad you mentioned an opposing viewpoint.
Yes, by all means, take it easy, and enjoy the ride. You (and Mark) certainly deserve it. ((( )))
The word “downhill” brings the same contradiction, Marian. When things go downhill, obviously, they are not so good. But, when you walk, downhill is easier and less tiring… 🙂
You are brilliant, Liesbet! 😀
Beyond. What a perfect word for 2021! As you say, there are many facets to it and, at the very least, I expect we’re all ready to move beyond 2020 all in good time. Thank you for mentioning my post and for visiting my blog this morning. Wishing you a blessed year.
I was stumped on a guide word as 2020 morphed into 2021, a year that seemed to perpetuate some of the challenges of the previous year. Your suggestion of “Beyond” gave me cause for pause. Sometimes I think you may doubt your influence, but here is a case in point, from my beloved friend. Huge thanks!, Linda. 😀