The sun shone on Christmas Day and beamed long rays of golden light into the house. The slow unfolding of the meal, the unwrapping of gifts, the popping of corks seemed more relaxed and cheery this year. At it’s heart these 12 days are a hibernation away from the world, some solace in the darkest part of winter.
The voices that surrounded me were clear and true. Almost upbeat. A sense of turning the corner.
During the dark hours of the last week I stole time and tried to reflect on the transition to the New Year, 2013. Last year I dipped my toe into so many new things. My word for 2012 was EXPAND. Normally fairly cautious, somehow through selecting this word, I gave myself permission to dabble and dream a bit more than usual….
My word for 2013 is LIGHT and I notice already a clearer focus on what is important and what is not in my struggle to survive economically and spiritually. For that will be the challenge for most Irish people as we try to stay afloat while at the same follow our own individual stars…
When I am living with close family and friends it becomes impossible to write or take photographs. I am torn between the practice and the laughs! So although I will miss their presence and colour, I am also looking forward to that little bit of magic, just me, the camera and the light.
Returning to the sound of my own beating heart. The mystery of being here at all. The beauty of the ordinary.
Did you chose a word, set an intention, make a resolution, would love to hear about it, and if you have blogged about it please share a link?
Also posted here on Vision and Verb a global collaboration of creative women
I've just decided my word for 2013 is going to be 'free-spirited' for the simple reason that it sounds like fun! I've been blogging the last few posts about a word for the year – I think it is a very useful idea. Best wishes for light in 2013.
What a stunning set of photographs! happy new year x
I love your word – I shall think of "Light" as I go through my days. A very Happy New Year and may it dazzle with light.
My word is "ACTION" "If you start it, it will get completed"
HELEN XX
I love your word… how perfect. My word is "potential." I want to embrace the potential a new year brings and explore my own potential within it. We all have something unique and beautiful to bring to this world… we all have the potential for good, for change, for light. 🙂 Happy New Year! Thank you for this blog, which brings me back to the Ireland I love with every blog post.
LAUGHTER,i will strive to fill my year with as much fun and laughter as possible,as Ken Dodd said exercising your chuckle muscles is great for your health and well being.Looking forward to seeing more photos of your part of the word in 2013.
Light is such a great word 🙂 Mine is ENRICH. I blogged about it here:http://fiffles-greenwaves.blogspot.ie/2013/01/powerful-words.html
Happy new year and all good things in 2013 🙂
What a great theme for a whole year. I think mine will have to be Dare, for this year. Yes, it seems to fit the mood! I hope you find good light every day.
Your jug of winter greenery is so simple and pretty. Reading Freda's blog I was introduced to focusing on one word each year. I think you achieved Expanding with opening your On line shop and writing your guest posts. My problem now is to choose what word to focus on!
Sarah x
Here's to more light Catherine!!
What a lovely way to reflect on the year gone passed and bring focus on the goals for the next one. I'll have to ponder on my word for a while! All the best to you and yours for 2013
Hello Catherine. 'Light' is such a good word for this year, as your entry is beaming with it. Too date, this is my favourite entry. I like your idea of picking one word for the year. So simple, yet so difficult. I plan on following suite, after a time of reflection.
I wish you, and yours, every Happiness and Blessing of the New Year. I wish you the clarity that can only exist in true light. ~Beannaichte'! Alicia
Beautiful images. Light is a good word to chose – it's important to us as individuals and as photographers. I like this concept of picking a word to focus on for a year – better than making resolutions which are broken by mid-January.
May 2013 be a wonderful year for you.
You've got me thinking.
Before I came to your blog today, I was at christinewyrtzen.com she wrote about how God brings order from chaos.
I think my word for the year will be Order. It's a recurring theme in my life. I also like the idea of having " a word for the year". The radio station I listen to has begun "word of the week". Listeners are encouraged to do a study on that word.
I've come across the idea of choosing a word for the year quite a lot recently but I confess it doesn't really appeal to me as something to do myself. I just dive into the New Year and take each day as it comes – some bad but mostly good so far in my life:) I suppose I don't go in much for introspection but I do have a mantra for the bad times that come to all of us every so often – "This too shall pass". Happy New Year!
Transcendentally beautiful, as always. If you don't mind, I'd like to follow your lead and let "Light" be my word for the year as well—it just encapsulates all that is beauty & goodness for me (the perfect choice). Your blog has become a sacred space where I go to relax, breathe & refresh—love this post.
I shall keep that thought with me always now – not a lull, but a post Christmas hibernation. Thank you for your words that make so much sense.
Happy New Year and here's to a most beautiful 2013.
Nina
Your "light" photos are magical. The last one of the gate and the light on the tree does appeal to me very much. Your "light" is a very good chosen word. As you ask me, I think I go for TOLERANCE, but I also like KINDNESS, allright I go for two words!
Wish you all the best in 2013!
Beautiful, beautiful photos. Looks like you popped over and read my words of the year – Simplify & Courage. I'm excited to begin anew. Looking forward to reading more from you about life in Ireland (I'm in Montana, U.S.)
xx
Jenny
Thank you for your encouraging words.
Sarah x
Thank you and Happy New Year!
Beautiful.
My word for the year is Moving… moving to a new place, moving my body in new ways, moving into grace : )
May the light continue to light your way 🙂
Love the light for it shows the way, yet endure the darkness because it shows the stars.
Greetings. I would like to pass The Liebster Award on to you. I was just awarded it and had to choose 11 blogs to pass the award on to. Details can be found back on my blog http://micimuddyboots.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/the-liebster-award-is-for-bloggers-with.html with instructions should you wish to join in. No worries if it is not of interest to you, I just wanted to pass it on to you as I get much enjoyment from reading your blog. Hope all is well in your world, and Happy New Year!
I think we are on the same wavelength. I posted a poem about words and the New Year and I took some sea pics on New Year's Day similar (though not as good of course!!) as yours. I will post them as soon as I can. I like to see the sea on the first day of every new year, it's a bit of a tradition with me. Wish I lived by it! I wish you all the very best for the New Year and much time alone with your camera and the light.
Catherine, what a perfect post for the new year. We all need light, and clarity, to work, live, and love. Striving for that clarity is not always easy for just as light changes based on the season, weather, and time of day, so do the events in our life and the the state of our body, mind, and heart. I'm looking forward to see what magic you capture for us this year with your camera.