2020 Word Of the Year
Here we are. The end of another amazing year. I’m sleepy which seems par for the course in this year of quiet and reflection.
I’m sitting at home watching the Frog Princess paint one of the squishies I got her for Christmas (that’s another story for another day), eyeballing my new pens and markers and trying to think of something to doodle so I can use them.
I’m counting down but it’s not to 2020, it's to the end of my year. This means that I am savoring every experience as I wind down and get ready to say goodbye to a time that will never return. Yes, this is how life works but, I can’t help but think of the grandness of this year. I’ve learned so much, have been shown so much. I’ve had to give up on so many ideas and have had to let go of who I thought some people were. It has been beautifully painful and while I wish certain things had gone different, I know I’m here precisely because of each one of those things.
I’ve realized that sometimes, my grace is not sufficient and some people no longer deserve it. I also know that so many of the battles I thought I was waging aren't mine to fight. That’s been one of the biggest realizations. When I stepped into my spiritual journey, I had not yet understood that I'd gain an army complete with generals. You see, I’m so used to being the commander, the one pushing into battle with swords out and guns blazing, it has taken a bit of getting used to.
It’s taken a minute to learn to sit back and quite literally, hand my worries over to my Orishas and my Eggun so they can fight on my behalf. I’ve learned that this crown demands it. And that I must obey.
And that is what led me to my word of the year, friends.
Surrender
To give oneself up into the power of another. To yield to the power that is within. The relinquishing of the fight, the difficulties, the confusion in favor of ease, flow, peace. The act of handing over the battle to the ones equipped for and destined to win on my behalf.
I almost didn’t pick this word because it has so much power. I think it stuck after I mentioned my quarter of surrender in the post about integrity back in November. The more I thought about it, the better it felt. I decided to take a leap of faith and dive into the word in its entirety and, as in years past, I checked in with Merriam-Webster for the definition and then tweaked the meaning to match my intent.
I have 3 anchor words that tie back to my word and further ground me and prepare me for the battle ahead. Because let me tell you, your word will challenge TF out of your existence! It ain’t easy but, it’s worth it!
Victory: The overcoming of an enemy or antagonist. Achievement of mastery or success in a struggle or endeavor against odds or difficulties. That which is meant for me as a reward for my obedience in the surrender.
Abundance: An ample quantity, relative degree of plentifulness, having all that is needed as promised. Affluence and wealth. Riches of the heart and spirit.
Joy: The emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires. A state of happiness, a source of delight. A promise fulfilled in my spirit by the ancestors.
That’s the word, friends. Do you have a word? If so, I hope that it is an agent of change for the coming year and that it teaches you about the world around you and about the power within you.
Happy New Year.