Greetings, and Happy New Year!
The past year has been quite a wild ride. I expected to research. I expected to write. I expected to begin the framework for my next focus area. I expected to finish my book. During my sabbatical, I did none of these things. Not one. How do I feel about this? Honestly, I am at peace with it. I'll give you a few highlights of how I spent my year.
A Sabbatical is a time of rest, often includes leisurely pursuing personal interests, but for me, it was a time of learning to go with the flow, to take stock of what I have, and lay fallow for a while to health and prepare myself for the new seeds to come.
First there is an ending, then a beginning, and an important empty or fallow time in between. ~William Bridges
How did I spend my fallow time? I spent a great deal of time managing some family affairs that shook me to my core. While most of it is not my story to tell, I found myself repeatedly grateful for my training and support network. Sin and Zanna proved once again to be the rocks and pillars of our chosen family. I learned how important connections are. As the Havamal (44) says:
If you find a friend you fully trust
And wish for his good-will,
exchange thoughts,
exchange gifts,
Go often to his house.
I attended the High Day rites, Full Moon rites, and the Summerland Gathering as a guest and congregant. We even took our grandson with us to the festival. It was so lovely to attend and be filled by those sharing so freely of themselves. I spent this time soaking it all in like a warm, spring rain. I learned how important those moments of rest are to bring peace and healing to our hearts and spirits:
Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time. ~John Lubbock
I stepped down as Clergy Council Secretary after six years of service. I acknowledged the many accomplishments of those years of work and handed it off to a talented and knowledgeable priest. I learned that letting go and letting things live on after you is healthy for your legacy. After all:
Every exit is an entry somewhere else. ~Tom Stoppard
I facilitated an Ordination. What a beautiful gift to be chosen to facilitate another rite of passage for a peer and friend. I have been inspired at watching both of these gentlemen rise and take hold of their paths. Service work is not for the faint of heart, and I look forward to seeing where this new role takes them as priests and as people.
As human beings, we find our divinity in our humanity. A priest must never forget that the same is true of his vocation. ~Rev. Damian J. Ference
Above all else, I spent time with my intentions set for 2024:
Be Kind to My Body: I decided to quit drinking for health reasons, which was solidified when the research tying alcohol to a high risk of cancer was acknowledged by the Surgeon General.
Be Open in My Heart: I made more of an effort to connect with PEOPLE, no matter how far away. I told them I love them, because I do. I made it weird. I have no plans to stop doing this.
Be Whole in My Spirit: I began sharing my weekly rune reading with friends and finding ways to connect to the Kindreds in quiet and peaceful reflection. A big part of this intention was all those rituals I attended that were led by others. I even attended a series of Heathen Blots with friends. I also have no plans to stop doing this.
Be Strong in My Mind: Work this past year has been....a struggle emotionally. I reengaged in building relationships and in letting go of my own reactions to events, to stop taking things personally. This is still a work in progress, but I am confident in my ability to continue to grow.
All in all, it was a time of deep learning and resetting. It was a time of fertilizing and making dirt. It was a time of remembering who I am, who I want to be, and who is walking this crazy road beside me. And it was time well spent. May we all have the gift of rest that we may rise, ready to grow.
