2016: Story

"Much wisdom often goes with fewer words" ~Sophocles

2012: Pause

2013: Listen

2014: Accept

2015: Ready

2016: Story 

Starting in 2012 at the approach of each year I choose a word to spend those twelve months focusing on, and every year I am blown away by how pertinent that word becomes. 

2015 was full. 

January to May I student taught in a city I love with a person I view as an immensely valuable friend and mentor. From May to August I worked summer camp with brilliant kids who taught me that I am capable, just like them. I also learned during the sweltering Virginia summer what depression feels like. With wise and loving help I gained some tools for allowing a spectrum of emotions into my life without defining myself or my day by any of them. In August I accepted a job across the Country in familiar territory with new everything. A job that surprised, stretched and excited me then and every day since. 

In 2015 I went to Arizona, California, Mexico, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, and drove myself from Virginia to Utah. I read twenty-nine books, watched the entire series of Parks and Recreation, and finished my Master's degree. 

And I bought a new car. So could I be more adultly? No way Jose. 

I also bombed all of my 2015 Resolutions (like, bombed), moved back into a shared apartment (an apartment), went on one date (yep, one), and I still use a phone that has buttons on it (really, buttons). Lest ye think me fully put together. 

But man, that was a good year. 

I didn't put together how packed 2015 was until I got to the end of it and started reviewing through photos and  my once-a-day journal. (I made a journal where I write down one line about what I did that day. It can fit about ten years worth of days. I'm obsessed.) As I thought about how my 2015 word, Ready, permeated every phase of those twelve months it made me want to select my 2016 word carefully and purposefully. And it's Story. Story. 

There are many things that led up to me selecting "Story" as my 2016 word: Family history interviews from the past two years and the invaluable insights that came from them; Writing a book with my dear friend Connie; Accepting unexpected experiences and empowering their ability to impact through sharing them with others; A friend of mine planting a writing idea in my mind for kids with autism; Attending the Storytelling Festival in September; Hearing the incredible stories of people I love across the Nation through my travels, and reading "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" by Don Miller. 2015 left me no choice. Story had to be my word. 

In 2016 I want to live a better story. I want to hear stories, share stories, record stories, create stories, understand what makes a good story, and live a story I'd like to have told to me. That's my word. No resolutions this year, no plan, just an idea. 

"You can call it God or a conscience, or you can dismiss it as that intuitive knowing we all have as human beings, as living storytellers; but there is a knowing I feel that guides me toward better stories, toward being a better character. I believe there is a writer outside ourselves, plotting a better story for us, interacting with us, even, and whispering a better story into our consciousness." ~Don Miller

My hopes for 2016 in three words: Character. Setting. Conflict. 

Thoughts on a plane

I wrote the following on my flight back to Utah after spending my Christmas break in Virginia. I read it again today and found it worth a laugh, so I'm recording it here. Enjoy.

Happy New Year. I'm on a plane on my way back to Utah. I remember now why I always try to deprive myself of sleep before a long flight. I've finished my book candy ("From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler") and am now being serenaded by the loud, brassy tones of the woman in front of us sharing how many cranberries she eats each day to bring up her probiotics, and how to increase prebiotics which are food for probiotics. She's upset her husband won't join the program. Dear man. I don't know where he is but he is probably eating twinkies somewhere with delight.

Now that I've been a snob, let's have a confession paragraph. My flight for christmas break was a red eye from SLC to Charlotte, NC, a two hour layover then a one hour flight to Charlottesville, VA. Fairly ideal. Being the end of the year with its traditional and customary whirlwind of visits and obligations I was exhausted. I slept the entire flight to Charlotte and thought I was feeling rather chipper as I reached my gate. I settled in, read my book and counted down the ten minute blocks. So close to home!

And then I woke up.

"Why are these people different? Why is the gate lady gone? Why is the door closed? WHY?"

It was ten minutes before my flight was set to take off. I stumbled to the neighboring gate and established that I had indeed slept through the entire boarding process. I was keeping it together fairly well until they asked me to confirm once more what flight I was on. I pointed out the window to my plane taunting me with its presence on the tarmac and cried/spoke "It's that plane... right theeeere!" Sitcom level, I tell you. Painful and pure gold.

I got a standby ticket from the customer service desk, then as I walked away felt a prompting to go back, to start the conversation again. I did so (repeating my preface of "I'm emotional and upset but at myself not you. Apologies.") and this time the woman changed my arrival airport and got me there only two hours behind schedule. I could have cried all over her efficient and manicured personage. A very patient mother and Granger picked me up in Roanoke. Mom's back was out so Granger did some super swell stealthy spy moves to find me, then we drove all the way home. Bathroom break, then back in the car to drive the additional hour to Charlottesville to get my luggage.

The whole experience was embarrassing, frustrating, a waste of valuable time, and an opportunity to practice vulnerability, sincerity, and choosing humor. And in my opinion it makes a great story. Lots of people sleep through their flights I suppose. But I don't know how many manage to do so in the airport at their gate. Aren't I impressive?