Monday musings

I almost called this "Monday meditation" but that sounded a little too serious.  "Musings" seem to be more my style.  And it has been a day of musings - and a few meditations, but I've been moving too much to do much real meditating, except for the moments in yoga class.  Started my day with a wonderful class with Bekah.  I had not been to one of her classes in months and I forgot how much I like her as a teacher.  She's authentic, enthusiastic, encouraging, and nurturing...all at once, which is pretty cool.  The 75 minutes flew by in her wonderfully rich flow that she had planned for us, complete with her (self-described) sappy playlist.
It was funny because on my way to the studio I was reflecting on how much more frequently I'd been to yoga in 2012 - which had, I think, been one of my resolutions for this past year.  For at least 6 months, I've been pretty committed to getting to class twice a week.  In 2013, I'm challenging myself with three classes a week (plus some practice at home).  I'll save the rest of those 2013 intentions for tomorrow.
At any rate, Bekah started the class by encouraging us to look back on this last day of 2012.  What had we accomplished?  What had we lost?  What had we learned?  How had we loved?  How had we grown?  What had we shared with others?  etc... 
So often on New Year's Eve we're all about looking forward that we forget to look back and reverently acknowledge what and who we're leaving behind and from where we've come.  It's a bittersweet reflection for me as I look back to 2012.  It was a year that was full of love and growth and excitement.  And loss and confusion and hurt.  But that is life, right?  Was it a bad year?  No.  Was it a tough year?  Yes.  Was it one that I'd want to trade in and that I'm in a hurry to leave behind?  Yes and no.  Was it a year that I want to savor and tuck away in some special place in my soul never to forget?  Mostly yes. 
It was filled with some painful moments.  Naturally those were also the moments where I came to know myself and the love and life and strength that is around and within me in ways that I'm not sure I would have otherwise.  And the bright moments - well, there were so many that were bright and revealing beyond measure!  And light-hearted and playful and life-giving and full of health, joy, and promise.  Precious time spent with people who are dear to me.  And not enough time spent with others.  Time in nature rejuvenating my soul.  
With each passing year, I see the fabric of our lives woven together with more and more richness.  Some effervescent threads and some darker threads - all reflective of the lives that we've lived.  And I'm amazed at how in any given snapshot of the days or the threads, the luminous ones continue to push past the dim ones - as if the good and the hopefulness is relentlessly forcing itself in front of the bad and the gloom.
At least that's my take on things...my Monday musing as it were.  Incomplete without my latest musical obsession from yoga class - a wonderful version of the classic "Somewhere Over the Rainbow".  Seems like the words could be just right for a trip over the rainbow - a reminder of hope and promise and protection - into 2013.  See you there...