The seasonal music reminds us that “there’s no place like home for the holidays” and that “love is all around us.” It’s got me thinking about relationships, and how we can attend to them, even in the midst of this busy time of year.   

Have you ever felt “capsized” by an event or situation in your life? 

Using the metaphor of being the captain of your ship on the ocean of life: perhaps it feels as if you are sailing along, and a huge wave comes and overtakes you. Something unexpected and completely overwhelming occurs, for a few hours or even a few days. We don’t understand what just happened — we couldn’t anticipate it and it wasn’t supposed to happen, just like ships aren’t supposed to capsize.

This fall seems to be moving quickly — where did September go? It was the anniversary month for Four Corners Counseling and Wellbeing, and also my birthday month! I find birthdays to be a great time to reflect on what I am grateful for over the past year of my life — even the hard stuff — and what I am looking forward to in the coming year.  

I lived in South America for a time, where I learned about a spiritual concept that many indigenous people hold, about August being the time of year when “the circle is broken.” It is a time of uncertainly, and of change and openness as well. It is not a comfortable time; there is fear and anxiety inherent in this time of brokenness.

So recently I bought a car.  I drove a rental car to pick it up.  The woman behind the counter was irritated, stressed, and bound by what the computer told her was possible.  This really impacted me in ways I was not aware of at the time, and it has made me think about the dangers of a closed mind.

A friend titled a recent email this way, and I love it!  How do we make that happen, a very meaningful 2015?  A great way is to forget about resolutions (those grand goals sticky with guilt), and instead set intentions.