One Little Word 2011 - "NOW"

NOW, originally uploaded by Trish Nonaka.


For the past few years I have chosen a word to reflect on and ponder over and use to see what lessons God is trying to teach me. When I was actively blogging it was easy to keep track of it and occasionally post about it and the lessons I was learning. In the 2 years that I haven't been blogging my One Little Word sort of faded away and I didn't do much with it. This year I am back to blogging but there is a new trend with One Little Word thanks to Ali Edwards' class of the same name over at Big Picture Classes. So I, along with many others, have begun to create a book or album about my personal word for this year.  


My word more or less chose me. 
That's usually how it happens for me. 
NOW.
now.
Pretty small and simple.
On the surface.


The picture above is one I created digitally to post in my studio. It may end up in my book but I'm not sure still. I've completed the assignments for the class so far (the pre-class and Month 1) but wanted to share a little about what NOW means to me. Its closely related to the reasons behind this blog and my artwork really.


For the past 18 plus years I have been homeschooling our daughters. Through that time I continually put aside things I wanted to do because it wasn't the right timing. I wanted to focus on my girls and raising them. I have absolutely NO regrets about that decision. Recently though I found myself wondering what I was going to do to stay busy and active while Randy is still on active duty (3 years to go til retirement). I used to dream about having time to go to the gym and work out, have lunch with friends, scrapbook for hours, write, draw and paint again and generally be creative. I thought how lovely it would be to some day have a house with a library filled with great books and the time to read them. To sit and have tea and listen to music. To have a studio to create in and leave my projects until I could return to them.  Some day. But it wasn't the time when they were little. Then it dawned on me. It was NOW. NOW I could do all those things. THIS IS my time. At least for the time frame until retirement comes along.  Then it will become OUR time. I cannot wait for that day but I want to savor THIS one NOW. And we are blessed to have the library, the studio (and still have a guest room! *S*) so NOW it is! 


A while ago I responded to an email a friend sent me. It asked what my favorite or best day was. I wrote, TODAY!" I learned early on to live without regrets, not wait to say how you feel about someone (especially if you love them or are angry), to love well, laugh often and embrace life.  But I also sensed a renewal of the NOW moment of my life. 


So NOW...its your turn! Whats YOUR One Little Word?