Thursday 3 January 2013

2012 review

Well, a little post, as many others around, to close with 2012. Many people, including me, like to make end-of the year reports, to put in perspective what they did and amke resolutions to prepare for a new start. It is not really all about the new year, which is just a convenient point in time, as it could be our birthday (another big day for projects and thinking), or whatever date. The important bit is to evaluate what we do, not in a competing way, but just as a nice pause to reflect. I find this very useful, and reassuring.

Some people even make lists of accomplishments, but to me the real point is to think back to what I did and plan to what to do in order to go where I would like to be next.

This year confirmed me that all this is possible only when life does not place itself in the middle, and forces you to adapt to situations, and reassess all your priorities and beliefs. And as hard this can be, it ended up being a beautiful journey! I did have to change plans and directions, but I feel stronger and more determined. I had to let go of beliefs I now wonder how could I have attached myself to for so long. And I'm preparing for the next difficutlies, that I see near the horizon, with much more humility but also with more wisdom (and wonder if I'm going to laugh at this post in retrospective in a few years).

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But as a friend recently wrote, the important thing is to live in the moment, rather than waiting for a dream future (which, from experience, is never the answer) or hold on to a dreamy past.

Anyhow, to give farewell to 2012, is here, in random order, some of the accomplished of 2012:
- I was able to celebrate my brother's 50th birthday with him and his family;
- I spend good time with my parents;

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- I went to exhibition and concerts;
- I spent good time with friends;

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- I travelled to various destinations;
- I managed a very hard situation at work with not too much damage (talking of psychological effects here);

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- I achieved good results at work and published several papers;
- I collaborated with fantastic people;

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- I read more than two books a month;
- I knitted a lot;

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- I tried to help others and causes I felt drawn to;

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- I invested in my education;
- I finished another 365 project;
- I walked a lot;

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- I taught with pleasure and good results;
- I celebrated life daily;

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- I invested in my spiritual and physical well being

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It would be possible to go on and on (and I could add also the scary, sad, frightening and disappointing parts), but you get the picture (even without the details), and the thing I note most is that even though the list is a sequence of I, it would be more correct to change those into we.

Thanks to all friends and family for this great year.

Now to move on to 2013, with DARE as a word to guide it, I'm curious to see what is ahead!

2 comments:

nadine paduart said...

i'll bet you, you're curious about the next part. your 2012 was filled with rather scrummy things!!
your landscape image of italy is just unbelievably dreamy and beautiful!! in fact al of your images are well thought over, i feel.
what a good goal of yours to look back in contentment. a year is always filled with goods and bads; in retrospect we always do remember the better, the lighter things best. luckily!
i like your year's gone past!
see you around in corner view!
much love and all the best for 2013.
X
nadine♥

Kim said...

All lovely photos, but the landscape is just stunning. Like an oil painting from one of the Old Masters. Superb.