Hope, Love, Joy and Peace – Assignment 2022

“Once you choose Hope, anything is possible” – Christopher Reeve

The other day I received an email reminding me that my blog domain would be automatically renewing on January 14, 2022.  I have to be honest, seeing a correspondence from alittlebitaboutalotofthings made me take a huge pause.  When was the last time I visited my beloved writing source? 

Like many, the past two years hasn’t found me being my most authentic self.  Most of the time, I feel like I am walking along a balance beam wobbling from side to side, waiting for the rug to be once again pulled out from underneath of me, and spending time wondering where my motivation has disappeared to on vacation.  Surprisingly, when I went back and looked to see when my last blog post was (May 2020) the topic was finding balance, I guess I have been searching ever since?

In true Jacky fashion I have started many blogs in my mind and a few found their way to notes shared in emails and desktop ramblings. From notions of “looking up” to my lack of a holiday card in 2020, or a biblical thought of testing faith and finding patience to discovering truths in Kelsea Ballerini’s song Half of My Hometown, there are remnants of unfinished writings similar to the different stages of partial arts and crafts projects of my youth.   Yet as we await the final minutes of 2021, I figured I might as well finish the year with a big giant check mark against a task completed, blog posted. 

Society seems to be struggling to get in a groove.  It is clear that across our nation populations are coping with a variety of regulations that are not only vastly different but infinite in nature.  I believe if we look close enough that the “rules” of today aren’t just geographical in nature, but have become an intimate part of each household and member.  The by products of living in the world today appear to leave a trail of anxiety, discourse and general unhappiness.  I am beyond over the negative nature of the energy out in the general population and the daily dodging of the toxic emotional fumes that float through space.  Searching for that message of ultimate positivity, to attract my motivation back home and relight my inspirational flame, my hunt came to an end on Christmas Day.

When I was a little girl one of my favorite Christmas traditions was the advent wreath at church.  Our little brick church in Templeton, Bethel Lutheran, there was always a very large, ornate wreath created from a variety greens featuring four big candles.  Each Sunday one candle was lit as we counted down to Jesus’s birth.  The simplicity of the practice had its obvious purpose and I never considered that there was more to the activity.  That was until this Christmas day during church service.  The message delivered spoke to the meaning of the candles of an Advent wreath symbolizing the four virtues Hope, Love, Joy and Peace.  At that moment a light bulb went on inside me, saying to myself, “what did the priest just say, did I hear that right”? There it was, the all good message I was looking for to begin 2022, Hope, Love, Joy and Peace.

Now what to do with my new-found gift.  Sticking true to Jacky form, I have conjured up a plan (hopefully measurable) to celebrate, discover and embrace each sentiment.  Dedicating each quarter; January – March will be Hope, April – June will be Love, Joy will be July – September and finally Peace will be honored from October – December, my goal is to unearth quests that I can complete for each virtue.  From applying to my daily life or an obstacle I want tackle, by this time this year my heart, soul and mind will be full of Hope, Love, Joy and Peace.  With a deep sense of belief and a little luck, hopefully, my love of writing, will joyfully fill this blog with posts that bestow a sense of accomplishment and peace.

Happy New Year – Jacky