Live Lightly
2024 came in at break-neck speed for me. Quite literally. I was sitting by my bedroom window early in the morning having my quiet time when I was startled out of my chair with a loud thud. Feathers were flying. I looked out to see the most beautiful black, gray, and yellow bird lying dead in the branches of a bush. It’s neck broken. My heart ached for this wee creature. I was talking to it in soothing tones (yes, I knew it was dead, but I couldn’t help it). I went and got gloves and was hanging out my window when my husband came in the room. Bless him, because instead of lecturing me on how unsafe it is to hang out a window, he came over and helped me retrieve the bird and properly dispose of it. All I can hope is that it died instantly and did not suffer.
You are asking yourself, "Why is Malinda sharing this awful story about a dead bird?" Hold that thought. We’ll come back to it.
If you know me, you are aware that I choose a word or phrase to focus on for each new year. Back in November 2023, I chose my phrase (actually two of them) for 2024:
Live lightly. Live open-handedly.
What does living lightly even mean? To me, it’s the opposite of living heavily. Heavy-handed. Heavy-hearted. To live lightly means:
To be light with criticism – of myself and others
To be light with my “should haves”
To be light with my words – the frequency, the tone, the actual words I say
To be light in what I consume – asking myself before I purchase something, “do I really need this?”
To be light in what I own
To not overbook my calendar
To say no more often
To be a light in the world. Because, goodness, it can be a dark place.
What about living open-handedly? It’s the opposite of a closed fist.
To live open-handedly means:
To live where my hands are open to receive and to give
To let blessings flow on me and allowing them to trickle through onto others
To relinquish control
To be open to others
To approach life with a positive and loving attitude
To be generous
To accept
To hold gently
These are just a few ideas. I'm excited to see what else I learn about living lightly and open-handedly this year.
Back to the sweet bird. With open (gloved) hands, my husband held this creature gently. Held it with care and tenderness as he transported it to the woods behind our house. And as I closed the window, a feather fell gently to the ground in front of me. Lightly. It landed softly.
Ah, my third phrase for the year: “Land softly”. May my thoughts, words and actions land softly this year.
What do these three phrases mean to you? I’d love to know.
If you want help in living lightly this year, let me know. I’d love to be your support and guide.
Let's live lightly together.