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 He looked utterly at ease sitting across from me 
on this cold winter morning, his coat barely buttoned 
against the cold as we headed into the coffee shop.  
We placed our order then found a seat next to the fire, 
more for my benefit than his.  "You scare me" I said 
looking down in to the coffee's depths as I wrapped 
my fingers around the cup letting the warmth work it's 
way through my fingers and thawing my skin.  

"I'm only here at your request.  I want to teach you 
how to live from a place of openness."  he stated plainly. 
 "I know" I said with the cup to my lips drinking deeply
letting the cup linger by my lips, " that's what scares me."  
We sat quietly for a long time after that listening to the 
crackling of the wood as fire consumed it.  

"So you've decided?" he askes leaning forward to take 
my hand in his.  I sighed.  "Yes, I'm ready."  He smiled 
warmly at me as I looked into his eyes."Then let's get started." 

So began my relationship with my word for 2013.

I've been working with words to guide me for the last 3 years
but this time it was different.  The word that chose me felt as though it needed a different approach.  Instead of using 
journaling prompts about what this word would bring to 
my life and what my life would look like if I fully embraced this word, I used creative journaling to write a story about my word.  

I took my journal out for coffee a few days before Winter Solstice and begain to visualize what it would be like to have my word sitting at the table with me.  Using all my senses to describe 
my word, I was most surprised when I discovered my word 'felt' masculine to me.  From there I had a long conversation with 
my word, telling him what I wanted from this year and listening 
for what he was wanting me to know as we started.  

The results were palpable as I journaled fast and furious not noticing time passing around me.  By the time I looked up from the page, hours had passed and I came away with a clear sense that I needed to have something I could wear to keep my word close to me. 

By Solstice my word hung from my wrist tapped into a beautiful bracelet; a soul mantra created by Liz Lamoureax.  After a few weeks of wearing it, I still feel it tingle with possibility. When I look at it, I swear I can sometimes see it jump with my heartbeat as it gently works it's way into the rhythm of my life, a daily reminder to EXPAND my heart, my mind and my spirit.  

And for now I continue to date my word taking it out once
a week exploring the story of this relationship as it develops.  

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