It’s New Year’s Eve here in New Zealand, and I’m at home on Windfola with my loving little Zia. We are cuddling while I write and drink peppermint tea, but both of us are tired after a long day of playing together and we’ll be snuggling into bed soon. The anchorage is peaceful and so quiet that I can hear that crinkling sound through the bottom of the hull that I think means bottom-feeding fish are having a feast on the seafloor.
Everyone I know here asked what I’d be doing tonight, and many of them invited me to go out and float around for the fireworks and parties in other bays. But instead I am right here, listening to what my heart is asking me to do.
I don’t have any major magical reflection to share about 2019 or the year to come. All I have is the warm, sleepy satisfaction of another day in which I’ve decided to listen to what my heart asks of me and do it, even if it’s a little different than what others are doing. I haven’t always been able to do that—listen to my heart above the sound of other voices—but this year I’ve gotten better at it, and I feel thankful for that.
It’s not easy to choose your own heading and take the helm on a course unfamiliar. But for our little family of three—Windfola, Zia, and me—it seems to be taking us into more happiness, authenticity, and beautiful sunsets. :) My hope for us and for others is that next week, next month, and next year are full of more days of listening to and heeding the heart’s call. May we all follow it into joyful, new, and unexpected places...
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📸 taken on Nov. 30th, day 8 of 18 of our passage from the Cook Islands to New Zealand