Happy New Year everybody we made it!

I have no doubt we can all easily come up with an infinite array of adjectives to describe 2020 - and not all of them favorable! 

Never before have so many of us felt so incredibly relieved to have a year behind us.  And let me just stop here to acknowledge and validate the fact that each and everyone of us have been affected by the events of the year in their own unique way - and that’s okay. 

We all do the best we can. No one plays to lose.

So with the year behind us and since as we know hindsight is 2020 - (sorry I couldn’t resist!) I’d be curious to know what things you’ve learned about yourself that you will take with you into 2021, and what things you choose to leave behind, because they no longer serve you.

It’s so much easier to analyze and evaluate situations when we're looking back on them. Perspective as they say, is everything. But why not look forward from where we stand right now? Is that not perspective too?

I know many people like to assign a word to guide them into the new year, as a kind of intention setting, or mantra. 

It’s a great idea... although I’ve never done it. I LOVE words, and yet I’ve never considered having one. 

So, I’ve been thinking about how I might go about finding my guiding word for 2021. It was daunting at first because I wanted a word that was not just empowering (there are so many great ones) or one that I already identified with, but one that was magical and mysterious - a kind of talisman! 

I looked up the word Talisman for further inspiration. (I always dig deeper into words that I already know!) 

By definition, a Talisman is an object, typically an inscribed ring or stone, that is thought to have magic powers and to bring good luck.

Then it came to me - out of nowhere. Caribou. Caribou!!! 

Caribou is the name of the magical place my husband and I are renting for the next few months in our native Canada. After a lifetime of living in the largest metropolis in the US, we have landed back home in Canada far from the city in the middle of some of the most beautiful nature I’ve seen.

And so, back to my research I went to find out more about the Caribou and to my delight I discovered that besides being a magnificent animal, 

The Caribou is  a strong symbol of a personal/spiritual journey who will guide you to the spirit world and back. Perfect!!

Other words that are used to describe the noble caribou are: endurance, determination, adaption, community, duality and perseverance and unlike other deer species, both male and female Caribou have antlers. That's my kind of animal!

Gender equality! 

I went on to read:

Caribou is also about getting ready for new adventures.  Every year, Caribou migrates to new pastures, and this happens twice per year.  So, Caribou showing up may be a signal for long and wonderful journeys that will completely transform life.  Caribou is also about courage – the journeys take a month or so, and the Caribou must swim very cold rivers and seas.  At times, all one can see are the head and antlers.  The message – keep your head above water (emotions and challenges) and simply keep going.  Caribou never turns back.

I have never enjoyed shoveling snow more than I have here in Quebec, surrounded by the mountains. Every morning I go out on the frozen lake and make patterns and paths in the new fallen snow. The paths don’t lead anywhere in particular but the shoveling brings me joy like I have never felt before. Not surprisingly I also discovered the word caribou comes through French, from the Mi'kmaq qalipu, meaning "snow shoveler" .

So my word for 2021 is Caribou. I am ready to embrace the spirit of this noble creature and let it guide me on my journey.