2013 Blog Highlights

On the first of January I wrote: What Will You Say No to in 2013?

Fast forward to last week, when I revisited that post. That’s when it dawned on me that, as this year comes to a close, I’ve also been writing about saying Yes! That trajectory was not planned, nor did I know when the year started what adventures, whether fun or frustrating, awaited. But the last line of that first post of 2013 turned out to be prescient: “In the space created by not rushing, perhaps the things I’ll say yes to will quietly emerge.”

Or, perhaps, loudly emerge!  This Yes I’m talking about emerges from a deep place. It is not the automatic or scripted Yes of politeness, obligation, or opportunism.  

Life is not completely black and white when it comes to Yes and No. Sometimes, a strong No to a situation or person is really a deep Yes to another possibility that hasn’t yet materialized. It’s as if Yes and No are dance partners, alternately leading and following, depending on what is arising in the moment.  Looking at blog traffic, it seems that this year’s most popular posts (some of which I wrote in 2012) involved a clear Yes or No, or at least a spirited debate between the two. Here are the highlights if you missed them:

Dear Sugar: I’ve Filed for Divorce

Punctuality: It’s About Time

Yes, I am a S.N.O.B.

Windsurfing as Zen Practice

Past, Present, Future: Where to live, where to look?

I Love “You”, I Hate “U”

After a Death, an Ant Reminds Me to Choose Life

Knitting as Zen Practice

The Vagina Monologues and My Narrow Escape from the Age Silo

Commitment: Choice or Coercion?

Budapest: Beauty or Beast?

Here’s to more straightforward Nos! and enthusiastic Yeses! in 2014. Happy New Year!