Friday 2nd January

At the beginning of a new year, people tend to make resolutions, that are usually linked to aspirations and, often, great changes and even great achievements. We also wish others a prosperous and wonderful new year. Last night I followed tradition and wished the girls a great and even prosperous new year. Sarah said she doesn’t care about any of that, she just wants nothing dramatic to happen.

Wise girl.

If the last year (and my daughter) has taught me anything, it is that there is nothing wrong in wishing for the ordinary.

One of Mum’s favourite sayings was, “The daily round, the common task, should furnish all you ought to ask.”

Another wise woman.

We need to be able to find happiness and fulfilment in even the most mundane of tasks. Real life is full of challenges and is, at the same time, so often predictable and demanding. In all of that there is a wonder.

Today was a really great day  – and a wonderful Sedgefield day. Being the day after the late night / early morning of the jolling last night, everyone slept later than usual, so I kind of reversed the ‘normal’ way of doing things: I ran and swam early, then took my boat to the Swartvlei and paddled, then swam. We went to the beach really late in the morning and stayed into the afternoon. Then we did work in the garden and then went to the vlei for a Swim. The only thing missing was a swim! J

All ordinary activities, but all also extraordinary because of just being so different from everyday life and also because I have the time to do them!

Granny asked where I get all my energy from. Perhaps it is from understanding that everything we do, however ordinary and possibly mundane, needs specific input and there is value in everything we can get done.

When I was out paddling this morning, I had thoughts running through my mind. I came to my own resolution for this year.

For all of us I wish an ordinary year. For myself, I resolve to find the special in the ordinary.

And there is a lot of that to be found.