capture.

I'm staring at the wall.  Today I watched as oil slowly poured through a funnel.  I feel like that.  I have a lot of words, but they aren't exiting as quickly as I'd like.  I guess that's why I've been drawn to several Facebook/Twitter statuses lately focused on one word for 2014.

It's an interesting concept.  Choose one word and live it.  Sounds easy enough.

Living the word seems quite simple.  It's choosing the word that's the tough part.  Maybe its a commitment issue.  I mean, once you choose the word, you're in.  It's kind of like accepting the proposal for marriage.  If I say this is the one, then it means its the one.

What if I change my mind?  What if my word doesn't get me the desired results?  What if my word is just too dang hard?  

I don't have the answers to those questions.  All that I know is I'd like to start a new year with crisp focus.  I think having a word might help.

So I debate.  Should I choose a word that focuses on my spirit?  Maybe my word could be about my relationships.  A better word might focus on work or home.

Listen.
Mercy.
Commit.

There are so many to choose from, but getting overwhelmed with my selection kind of defeats the purpose.  I think my word might have something to do with all of those.  A word that allows me to love and appreciate all of the working parts that make me, me.

capture

to emphasize, represent, or preserve in a more or less permanent form

That's it!  If there is anything I need more than anything, its more focus on the moments or the things that make my heart pitter-patter.  Even more, though, I need not only focus on them, but I must remember.

There are days when I hear a lot of bad things.  There are days when people treat me badly.  There are days when my heart barely pits, let alone pitter-patters.

It is those days that I need to be reminded.  I need to go back to those moments or things that brought me so much joy.

So that's my word.  I plan to capture.

Capture words.
Capture songs.
Capture pictures.

I want to remember that feeling for the rest of my life.

Happy 2014!
~ao

P.S. Today I captured the picture at the top of my post.  I took down all of my Christmas decorations except for my winter-themed hearth.  My dear friend, Michelle, gave me a pillow on it that she made with the word, grace.  It almost became my word for the year, but I did a last minute switch for the word that's been on my mind lately.  Nonetheless, I love the decorations on the hearth and think this pillow fits it perfectly!