'Tis the season to be busy! As always during this time of year, life is filled up with social and family stuff, shopping, making presents, wrapping presents ~ while keeping my head about me, still practicing yoga, still going to the gym, still swimming, finding time to be silent and still, finding time for baths.

I have been crafting like crazy and am finally wrapping up (so to speak) all of my current projects ~ it feels nice to be in the winding-down period. I'm making most of my gifts this year (though definitely not all), and I've recently finished some really cute things: a baby blanket and matching hat (with earflaps! it's so cute) for a friend's newborn; scarf for mom; candles, boxes, wish boxes, keychains, soap... The funny part is that I always get inspired for a new craft while I'm in the middle of working on one. There have been times where I've abandoned half-finished crafts because the idea for the new one is more enticing ~ but not right now! It's much more important to finish the ones I'm giving as gifts first. That said, I'm pretty much done with them all! For now, hee hee.

Lots of yoga this weekend! Private plus class tomorrow; private on Saturday, followed by a reiki session with Margaretta; then another private on Sunday, followed by another Yoga Circle afternoon. One party Saturday night, then another Sunday evening. Then early Monday morning, I leave for D.C. to spend pre-Christmas time with my sister & her family! So, yes, there's a lot going on right now.

It's been interesting thinking about the year and wrapping up the last few weeks (again with the wrapping! I've been doing so much wrapping this week). What a year of change! From my final stress-filled quarter in the corporate world to sabbatical to finishing my novel to actually quitting my job, from yoga teacher training to finally teaching ~ and so much in between, so so so so much in between. One thing I've been thinking about a lot, and that I know is going to be a big focus for me in 2008, is where and how I spend my energy in relationship with other people. Where do I feel it in me? Who energizes me and makes me feel alive, happy, and loved? Who are the people who approach challenges in a way that allows me to feel sympathy and understanding, and who are the whiners and complainers, the ones that don't take responsibility for their own actions and lives? Who are the people who just drain my energy, who drag me down and make me feel used or resentful? Who are the ones who touch my life with friendliness and peace? My life is moving in a very new direction and I need to follow it, to stay in the light and with the good, and I know that I need to release some people from my life, but it's not easy! There are social connections and work-related connections and yoga connections and writing connections, and part of me feels obligated to remain connected to them. But I realize that negative energy is negative energy, no matter what, and that I need to learn to filter it from my life. I'm in a very different space right now than some people I know who still party so much, who still run around in circles chasing their own tails, who still treat their lives and their bodies and their relationships like junk ~ and I don't really need that kind of energy in my life right now. It's going to be very interesting to see where 2008 takes me and I will definitely be writing more on my thoughts about that as the year draws to a close.

My Advent calendar image today was of a house with glowing candles in the windows. For me, this image represents my own house, my own abode full of light and warmth ~ the space I always want to come home to, my man and my kitty, my yoga mats and my crafts and my books and my kitchen. But it also represents my body, the house of my soul. Taking care of my home, taking care of my body, making it a place where I want to live, making it a place I want to "come home to." Finding the light and warmth, the peace, the comfort in my own soul's house, in my own physical body, so like a turtle, I can always carry my light-filled home with me, everywhere I go. ... and the turtle, what a wonderful animal and what an inspiring image ~ such a great reminder to slow down! :-)