What are you looking forward to in 2014?

Here we are two weeks into the new year.  What do you need to accept?  What possibilities are you seeing and longing for?  How do you plan to embrace what is and move forward?

For some time I have believed that approaching the inevitability of change with the attitude of  “Yes, this has happened.  And now what?” is the key to being present in the “now” and setting the intention of moving forward – no matter how slowly, and surely.  I recently read a mediation about about the word “And”.  It was in a post from Richard Rohr, a Franciscan monk.  I enclose it here as food for thought.  Try reading this a few times a day, for more than one day.  You may be surprised how it creates an avenue for accommodating acceptance and possibility.

The Shining Word “And”
“And” teaches us to say yes
“And” allows us to be both-and
“And” teaches us to be patient and long-suffering
“And” is willing to wait for insight and integration
“And” does not divide the field of the moment
“And” helps us to live in the always imperfect now
“And” keeps us inclusive and compassionate toward everything
“And” demands that our contemplation become action
“And” insists that our action is also contemplative
“And” is the mystery of paradox in all things
“And” is the way of mercy
“And” makes daily, practical love possible

Adapted from The Naked Now: Learning to See as the Mystics See by Richard Rohr