And so it goes...

I've been mulling over what I would want to say for my final post of the year, when it became clear to me that it is actually my first post of a new year. This, of course, got me thinking about beginnings and endings and how one cannot exist without the other. I'm sure I've written about the notion of something not ending without a beginning following close behind. Or vice versa. New and old, start and finish, then and now, us and them, love and hate -- the list goes on. The polarities that make up life are endless and, as I've come to understand, are quite simply facts of life. So rather than focusing on one until the other shows up, just stay present and it will all come to you in due time.

We will all experience something new and exciting, just as we will all fall in love, get new jobs or promotions, travel to exotic lands, become parents, move into new spaces and places, feel the possibility of a new day, meet people that inspire you and make you feel perfect. We will catch ourselves smiling at the sight of a couple in love, the perfect way the morning sun hits your pillow, birds swimming in the blue sky, laughing at a memory that seems to come out of nowhere. There will be days when we feel monumental and vast, capable of doing great and important things for mankind, days when we feel content to move slowly, read a book, order pizza and go to bed before the sun goes down. Life feels seamless and complete in the moments we stop thinking about it and just do it-- when we go for long walks in the middle of day only to find ourselves wandering home in the night sky, giggling with friends and family about this or that, playing with children like we ourselves are still small and full of fantasy and imagination, nights when the wine keeps pouring and the conversation goes on and on, inviting the sun to join you before you say good night.

And while all this is going on, there are still the counterparts to all these experiences and emotions. The man to the woman, the moon to the sun, light to dark, sweet to savory. The end to the beginning, the beginning to the end. Moments when we look outside and wonder what we're doing this all for, when we look at the person we love the most and question, if only for a second, if this is it. We will watch loved ones make bad decisions, fall in love with the wrong people, get sick, pass away, say good-bye to parents and friends, and we will do the same. There will be nights that get tangled in your hair, that seem to wrap themselves around you tighter than what is comfortable, days that feel rough to the touch and smell of heartache and irritability. Moments of sheer sadness, downright anger, uncertainty, fear, shame, confusion and indecision. They are opportunities for growth.

Everything we experience is a catalyst for change, regardless of what side of the spectrum you find yourself on. If we remain present, focused on what we are experiencing in the moment, we are better equipped to enjoy the goodness of life and to face the challenges that are presented to us. One doesn't exist without the other. If we are honest about our current state (in life and in heart and mind), we will certainly feel the abundance of all of life's offerings. We need to stop all this starting and stopping and just start doing. Moving forward, one day at a time.

All good things, now and always.