Song title sung by: Neil Diamond
Today is the final day of 2009.
Tonight, I will cook dinner for myself and a friend who is going through a tough time right now. Comfort food, comfy clothes, and "Glee" will make us happy while we create vision boards for 2010. I've also chosen my Word of the Year:
engage.
In 2009, my word was
mettle. I felt like the word gave me strength when I needed it. I felt tougher. There were some big "fights" that I was able to mettle my way through this past year. I've never felt stronger.
As the year was coming to an end, I couldn't decide on my 2010 word. I went through so many choices. Authenticity, gratitude, faith, belief, and even a German word: selig. There are still moments when this word,
engage, scares me. But, that tells me that I've made the right decision. Why engage? Well, there are many reasons. First of all, I have a tendency to hide away from life sometimes. I get spooked and retreat to a safe place. I need to take more risks. I need to
engage with the world around me. Dictionary.com gives many definitions of
engage:
–verb (used with object) | 1. | to occupy the attention or efforts of (a person or persons): He engaged her in conversation. |
| 2. | to secure for aid, employment, use, etc.; hire: to engage a worker; to engage a room. |
| 3. | to attract and hold fast: The novel engaged her attention and interest. |
| 4. | to attract or please: His good nature engages everyone. |
| 5. | to bind, as by pledge, promise, contract, or oath; make liable: He engaged himself to repay his debt within a month. |
| 6. | to betroth (usually used in the passive): They were engaged last week. |
| 7. | to bring (troops) into conflict; enter into conflict with: Our army engaged the enemy. |
| 8. | Mechanics. to cause (gears or the like) to become interlocked; interlock with. |
| 10. | Obsolete. to entangle or involve. |
–verb (used without object) | 11. | to occupy oneself; become involved: to engage in business or politics. |
| 12. | to take employment: She engaged in her mother's business. |
| 13. | to pledge one's word; assume an obligation: I was unwilling to engage on such terms. |
| 14. | to cross weapons; enter into conflict: The armies engaged early in the morning. |
| 15. | Mechanics. (of gears or the like) to interlock. |
My hope for my word of the year is that it will motivate me to act instead of hide, to attract instead of repel. My hope is that once again a single word will change my life.
I received my ring engraved with my word today from
http://www.etsy.com/shop/purplemoongifts . Here is a picture of it (sorry, it's a bit blurry.) In 2010, I will
engage with the world around me.
Happy New Year to you and your family!
