This year we had a wonderful fall, full of the rich colors I love. Deep reds and oranges. Subtle yellows and browns. Days full of crisp mornings, warm afternoons and windy evenings. I am so glad Minnesota got a full fall this year.
Two weekends ago brought a blanket of snow to our lawns and sidewalks. I had the pleasure of walking during the snow as it fell from the sky. Small flurries turned into large snowflakes. I was able to enjoy the sparkly beauty before car tires turned it into gray slush.
Mid-December has been gray, foggy skies with above normal temps! I will never complain about having 30+ degrees in December.
This year I am trying my best to welcome the changing seasons. I am even a little excited.
I will always in awe of nature, God’s most perfect work — how everything works together. However, every time I transport myself via 35W North, I am awestruck at the beautiful Minneapolis skyline.
Someone recently asked me what I like to paint (and oh how I miss it) – and I love to combine the natural with the man-made. God creates change every day: in life and in death, changes in weather and seasons. But it is important to remember that WE create change as well. Change is important to life, but more importantly, HOW we react to change determines the beauty we see.
And so, with the seasons changing, it is that time of year again when I reflect on the year past and start planning for the next. What would I like to have accomplished by this time next year? When I look back at my goals from last year, I get a heavy heart. Not because I didn’t complete most of the list, but because of how much my life has changed since creating it. Priorities are different now but I am enjoying life as it happens. Today I share my top learned lessons from 2011 – perhaps they will help someone else.
Lessons I learned in 2011:
- I do not know all the answers.
- Appreciate loved ones – family, friends, significant others – and tell them so. I have lost relationships because we took each other for granted. But I have also rebuilt old friendships and now cannot imagine life without them. I need to remind myself to do more of the latter.
- Take the time to re-prioritize when situations change.
- Do not settle for less than you deserve. Only you know what it right for you, regardless of the situation.
- Take the time to form your own beliefs and stand behind them. God created us with free will to make decisions for ourselves. If the shoe fits, wear it. But if it doesn’t, stop wasting time pretending that it does.
- Celebrate life. Dwell less on mistakes and celebrate the joys in life.
- Accept that everything happens for a reason, and sometimes relationships change with the seasons. Perhaps someday paths will cross again.
I have some thinking to do over the next couple of weeks. Lucky for me, with each new year, there is another addition. 12 goals for 2012… stay tuned!
Daily discovery 
[…] be an interesting year, full of great change. At the time, I halfheartedly agreed. Perhaps because 2011 was a big year for me, full of great change. How could 2012 be any bigger than that? But as January turned into February […]