Love this Mary. Tonight at midnight , I will open my front door to be open to whatever 2024 brings and at the same time open my back door to my balcony to let go of things I no longer want to hold on to or chage Hope I will be awake at midnight
Thanks for this, Mary! The Laméris poem is a new one for me and so timely. Love your reclamation of the glass bottles and the accompanying thoughts on mothering growing/grown children. As I gear up for another move this summer, I’m going to try and claim the gifts of releasing what I no longer need. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Mary! I'm not sure what I'd toss - I'm not much of a "holder-on" of things ... and I don't have a basement. The annual tradition reminds me of the items we might place on the Passover table - those things that represent what can "enslave" us: car keys, watches, and so forth. My annual tradition is to choose a word as a North Star. My 2023 word was "en-joy" (infuse with joy), and my 2024 word will be "en-courage" ... infuse whatever I do with courage!
I choose my word for 2024: Trust. I chose “Trust” after reading in another substack entry about someone “letting go of hyper vigilance and choosing trust”. (Sorry with the chaos in my home with visitors, I lost track of who to credit), but the phrase really resonated with me because I am a chronic worrier and in a few weeks my 23 year old son will move back home after dropping out of college. It is absolutely the right decision for him and after 3 years of struggle and learning lots about himself and how to live alone in an apartment, he’s moving into the apartment above our garage to regroup and decide next steps. I need to let go of worrying about how he spends his days, what time he gets up, or how slowly he moves forward. I need to trust that everything will work out and he has the skills to create his own life. I always want to fix things and now it’s time for me to loosen my parenting duties and savor spending time with him while he living so close by!
It's a conumdrum n'est ce pas ? We commit to our new year resolutions with fervour, then allow them to slowly dissipate with the hangover..... Peace, Maurice
My father was a “holder-on” of anything and everything. He held on to old broken phones and old shirts and old empty liquor bottles and everything and anything you could imagine. He ended his life in June after he got approved for the “medical aid in dying” drugs and for someone who held on so tightly to “things”, it was mind blowing to watch how easily he let go of his life.
Love this Mary. Tonight at midnight , I will open my front door to be open to whatever 2024 brings and at the same time open my back door to my balcony to let go of things I no longer want to hold on to or chage Hope I will be awake at midnight
I love that idea. You can do it tomorrow morning if you don’t stay up. I am pretty sure I won’t be up.
Thanks for this, Mary! The Laméris poem is a new one for me and so timely. Love your reclamation of the glass bottles and the accompanying thoughts on mothering growing/grown children. As I gear up for another move this summer, I’m going to try and claim the gifts of releasing what I no longer need. Happy New Year!
Here’s the full article Julie. It’s such beautiful, powerful writing. https://open.substack.com/pub/danushalameris/p/the-give-away-basket?r=qqbxq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web Are you moving cities or just houses? A move is hard but also really good because it forces us to let go.
LOVE the tradition of letting go and its physical manifestation of throwing things out the window - so fun! Also such a great mothering quote ❤️❤️
Yay! We love it too! One year, I really need to let go and throw something breakable. Happy New Year Celeste!
Happy New Year, Mary! I'm not sure what I'd toss - I'm not much of a "holder-on" of things ... and I don't have a basement. The annual tradition reminds me of the items we might place on the Passover table - those things that represent what can "enslave" us: car keys, watches, and so forth. My annual tradition is to choose a word as a North Star. My 2023 word was "en-joy" (infuse with joy), and my 2024 word will be "en-courage" ... infuse whatever I do with courage!
Happy New Year Karen! I like the reminder that our things can enslave us. May you follow your North Star this year!
I love this idea of choosing a word for the year...I will mull this over and let you know what I decide. 💜
I'm mulling what I'd be tossing off that second story balcony ... look forward to hearing what word jumps out of your heart for 2024!
Can’t wait! Happy New Year Sherri!
I choose my word for 2024: Trust. I chose “Trust” after reading in another substack entry about someone “letting go of hyper vigilance and choosing trust”. (Sorry with the chaos in my home with visitors, I lost track of who to credit), but the phrase really resonated with me because I am a chronic worrier and in a few weeks my 23 year old son will move back home after dropping out of college. It is absolutely the right decision for him and after 3 years of struggle and learning lots about himself and how to live alone in an apartment, he’s moving into the apartment above our garage to regroup and decide next steps. I need to let go of worrying about how he spends his days, what time he gets up, or how slowly he moves forward. I need to trust that everything will work out and he has the skills to create his own life. I always want to fix things and now it’s time for me to loosen my parenting duties and savor spending time with him while he living so close by!
: ) Sounds like that feels in concert for 2024's new growth! Congrats.
Love this Sherri! Wise and beautiful!
This is so lovely. As the parent of a daughter who's now in graduate school, it's useful to think about what mothering means now.
I love how she writes about motherhood. Thanks for coming over and reading.
I love that you used the jars as vases. I am in a super organizing and letting go phase this January. It's like early spring cleaning around here.
I’m with you in spirit and hopefully soon in practice.
It's a conumdrum n'est ce pas ? We commit to our new year resolutions with fervour, then allow them to slowly dissipate with the hangover..... Peace, Maurice
My father was a “holder-on” of anything and everything. He held on to old broken phones and old shirts and old empty liquor bottles and everything and anything you could imagine. He ended his life in June after he got approved for the “medical aid in dying” drugs and for someone who held on so tightly to “things”, it was mind blowing to watch how easily he let go of his life.
I’m sorry about your father Sonbol. Thanks for sharing your story. Happy New Year!
Beautiful. Love this. 💚
Thanks for reading. Happy New Year Katie!