Can you believe it’s been a whole year and a month? It kinda reminds me of an Initiation Period of sorts, you know, a time of trial at the end of which you can consciously decide whether you want to continue on the chosen path or go a completely different route if you realize in the end that it wasn’t meant for you.

Well, let me tell you. This is my call. This is my Life’s Journey.

Sometimes you have to make journeys that are hard. There are all kinds of journeys. This one isn’t as hard as most. […] But we make our journeys. We have no choice. We can’t hide from who we are. That’s no life at all. You know that.

Brian Doyle – Mink River

Art and Wood Burning in particular is how I express my profound love for the Living World, and I can’t imagine doing something different. It would feel wrong in so many ways that I don’t even want to think about it. It would feel like missing what I am here to do, giving up on authenticity, failing myself really.

I realize it sounds kinda dramatic, but like many of us, 2020 has changed me on so many levels – I just wish it could have happened under different circumstances. And in the midst of this chaos, I’ve had a lot of time to take a long and honest look at my journey and roots, pruning what wasn’t necessary or useful anymore, and seeing the type of wood I am made of.

It’s been a long time since I’ve really known where I am going, and I’m happy to say that it is how I feel right now.

I’ve always been on the path less traveled anyway, making my own way as I go, but it suddenly feels as if the bush and thorns and rocky obstacles have been cleared, and the drawing of the potential path ahead I can now see clearly.

Stepping into 2021, I thought about what I’d expect from this year, what I’d like to achieve and focus on. Nothing too crazy ambitious, because as we all know by now, plans can change pretty dramatically. But there are three specific words that stood apart from my solo brainstorming of everything.

WITNESS – I’ve spent most of last year paying close attention to my surroundings, even more so than before, considering that a lot of the usual noise had been cut down by the various circumstances that affected me. I’d like to continue on this path of belonging, seeing the Living World, being a witness of Beauty and Enchantment, paying attention to the tiny details that are so easily overlooked.

CREATE – This one may seem quite obvious, but 2020 was kind of a dry spell on this side of things, with an awful load of distractions to get me through the Tough Days. Creating things is in my DNA, and I did manage to complete a few projects last year despite everything else. But it didn’t satisfy my craving to make stuff with my hands. Not at all. This year I really want to focus more on creating than consuming.

SHARE – I may be a Triple Leo, but oddly enough, that doesn’t make me good at being in the spotlights. You’d think after all these years of putting my work on the Internet, I’d be used to it. But there are still a lot of doubts lingering behind each piece that gets shared, and a good chunk of what I create ends up staying in the shadows. This year I’d like to challenge myself and share more of everything – not only what I consider the Worthy Parts.

So here I am, without any resolution or specific goals in mind. Just a handful of ideas and values to live for and integrate into my Daily Life.

What are yours? Let me know in the comments below, and let’s start this new journey together.

Happy New Year! I wish you the very best. May you have one filled with Beauty and Enchantment ♥