My mantra for 2019: “Live life in the spirit of adventure.”

I have no plans for an African Safari this year. I’m not talking about that kind of adventure–although, rest assured, should the opportunity arise, I’ll take it. I’m talking about approaching every, single day; every, single experience with the spirit that awakens within me when I happen upon my photo of three napping lions in the middle of the road in Tanzania. I’m talking about replicating the excitement of heading to the beach or the inner joy of having all my kids sleep under the same roof as me. I’m talking about relishing in an attitude even when things don’t go as I plan. When it seems as if I’m not getting my way. Yeah. Even then. It’s an adventure.

The Universe heard me whisper my upcoming mantra and has already provided much fodder.

1. Celebrated an Un-Christmas-Christmas and it turned out beautifully! The Un refers to the lack of tradition as we celebrated “HallowThanksMas” with our kids in October. Turns out Christmas in October is lovely. And Un-Christmas-Christmas on December 25th brings plenty of surprises in its own special fashion.
2. We rescheduled our traditional New Years’ game night with dear friends to welcome Baby Lily, our second granddaughter, into the world. We saw no ball drop. Drank no champagne. Somewhere around the stroke of midnight, we held a warm, squeaky swaddle studying her every feature, grateful for her safe arrival, falling in love.
3. I did not spend the entire first morning of January 1 reflecting over the past year and my goals for it, or journaling for hours and setting goals for the upcoming twelve months as I have done faithfully for years. Instead, I visited Lily and her sweet parents in the hospital and shared my pork and sauerkraut with Lily’s two other sets of grandparents and beaming new aunts and uncles. Far from my tradition, but oh! so! special!

So here I am today, a couple of days different from my norm, reflecting and setting my goals and thanking the Universe for providing so much adventure. Looking to 2019 with the greatest spirit of adventure.