I was inspired by this post of Erin, another blogger’s. At the turn of a new year, you see a lot of posts from bloggers, beautifully written goals and hopes for 2015. Erin creatively suggests making Non-Goals and writes it eloquently here,
“You know the drill by now, it’s non-goal time. In a month where we’re encouraged to pick apart bits of ourselves – more of this, less of that – sometimes it’s just refreshing to take a step back and see the landscape for what it is. To swim in the grace we’ve been given; leap in the forgiveness we’re granted. To just keep walking, one foot then another, without searching for a new route that might offer a quicker arrival to a destination we were never intended to seek.” – Erin Loechner
I love how she worded it, rather than making goals and critiquing one’s self and thinking I should have done this differently, I should do more of blank, blankitty, blank, SIGH!, why not look at one’s self and think, You know what? I did this well last year.
Taking Less Pictures
1. You are doing better taking less pictures, going for longer stretches for days in which your camera stays quietly stowed away. Rather than documenting all the time, and whipping out the camera, you are learning to witness moments with eyes, rather than a camera lens and that is good. Eyes trump camera lenses. And when you do pull out your camera, you find your camera eyes refreshed.
A Little More Patience
2. You are doing better being a little more patient. You know that patience can sometimes be bitter, and that unforeseen unfortunate circumstances force you to be patient, but you hope at the end of this journey, for you the bitterness will become bittersweetness.
Mail It In
3. You have learned to take risks, to mail in children’s book manuscripts, even if you get rejections. To write new stories, edit old ones, email them for critiquing to a book group, to re-edit the stories. And then the hard part, to take action. To actually take action, go print out the story and Mail It In. And that sometimes, when you mail in your stories, you might get a positive response, and a book deal! Lailah’s Lunchbox comes out this year!
Let Things Pile Up
4. You have learned it’s okay to let things pile up, it’s okay to let things slide. It’s the only way you’ll ever get any work at home, to ignore crumbs and spills just temporarily until you can make your heart hum and your thoughts and words dance. (The below actually happened when Z accidentally dropped the dust buster [or as baby A says it buster buster] while making sprinkle cookies).
Crochet Soothes
5. You have learned to crochet hats a little better, as well as crochet longer items like snoods! And that it is relaxing and gives you a break from the computer. You have learned to value this hobby and hiding your yarn behind the sofa, it is easier to make time to crochet during reading aloud or TV watching.
Family is More Important than you Thought
6. You learned it a little more this year. You will remember it for life.
Zinnias Bloom
7. Your zinnias actually bloomed this year. Reading the directions on the seed packet helped, and that quick short cuts in gardening don’t always help flowers in the long run.
Blank Weekends are the Best Ones
8. You are fine with unmarked blemish-free white squares that fall on Saturdays and Sundays. You cherish it. With the hubbub of events that whirl around you, it’s refreshing to step back, and you’re learning to do that.
Health is Important
9. Same as #6: You learned it a little more this year. You will remember it for life.
Packing Light Finally Clicked
10. You learned how to pack a little lighter, to do a little more laundry. You wished you’d clicked with this earlier. You also realized how quickly you can upack your clothes when you’re back home.
Kite Flying is an Art
11. It is a skill in which you are witnessing and are inspired by. It is a skill in which you will gladly don a warm coat, mittens, lug a toddler on your hip, and rush out into the chilly air to witness your father flying his kite peacefully as the sun sets.
And to end…
12. Patience and Prayer
“O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, God is with the patient.” – (Quran 2:153)
You’re learning this slowly and surely.
Thank you Erin for your inspiring post! What are your Non-Goals? Writing them is therapeutic!
Doodling Through Life 
Beautiful post. Loved it!