Setting Intentions
Joyous moments for the new year.
I’ve been pondering setting intentions versus goals for the new year. I hesitate thinking about goals as to me, goals have a possibility of failure. I looked up the meaning of the word “Versus”. It means: against, opposed to, in contrast to. The opposite of versus is to be aligned with, to join forces with. I like that better. Instead of one or the other, this versus that, I want to align my goals with my intentions. This way there can be no failure. My goal for 2024 was to finish a 6 foot painting of Bootleg Mountain. I am 95% to completion and am suddenly stalled with tendonitis in my right shoulder. My physio therapist told me on Wednesday “no more painting until this is healed”. Looks like Bootleg will not be signed until the new year. It is ok. My paintbrushes are very patient and they will wait for me. I wonder how many strokes I painted from the first stroke to this point? Quite a lot. This is not a failure. I made progress. Progress is good. When the time is right, I will push to the finish line and add the last strokes and sign it.
My Bootleg Mountain painting is not complete but I can safely say I surpassed all of my intentions this year. There have been many other types of completions. I got on a plane and proved to myself that I can do things again. I found that part of myself that I had lost for a number of years. I felt joy in Italy. I enjoyed food, wine, good friends, beautiful landscapes and overwhelming art. I never imagined I could feel that way again. And this gives me hope for the possibilities that lay ahead. At the beginning of 2024 Italy was a distant dream like it has been for so many other years. I had no idea it would literally come to fruition and I could have never dreamed I would experience so many precious moments. This is yet another reason to have intentions rather than goals because this leaves room for the possibility of the miraculous. Italy was truly a miracle.
Substack has also been an amazing ride! At the beginning of the year, it was not even a thought in my mind. The writing was there and had been for a long time, I just had no idea what to do with it. Now look at this! I value this experience and am grateful for my subscribers that take time out of their days to read my words. Some of you have known me my whole life while others I have never met. So there are friends, family, students, clients and newcomers who have all come together to share this little online space together. That feels like a miracle too.
This summer, I cried and grieved the loss of two pets. Both were healing soul companions and helped me get through some of the darkest days of my life. I don’t know how I could have made it through these past years without them. The grief of their loss is still monumental and that brings all the grief I carry from years of loss to the foreground of my mind. It is still very heavy, especially at this time of year. I miss my Mom. No wonder my shoulder hurts with the weight of this burden. Perhaps in the new year, I will be able to put some of this weight down? I am getting close. I know many of you are also carrying this same grief and let’s talk about it in the new year, OK?
In a way to help with my healing process, I have started the “Lucas Legacy Fund” to help dogs who suffer from trauma and anxiety. If you know of any traumatized dogs, please do pass along our website, as I have dog trainers and access to a lot of info that could help families that are struggling. I have a group of volunteers working with me and we have fundraised to also help families who cannot afford anxiety medication or training for their anxious dogs. For the month of December, all the money coming in on my Substack subscriptions will be going to the “Lucas Legacy Fund”. So if you’ve been considering signing up for a paid subscription, now would be a good time. Thank you to all who are already subscribing. Your money will be put to good use! If you would prefer to do a one time donation, you can send an e-transfer donation to lucaslegacyfund@gmail.com. Thanks for your support and one of my biggest intentions for 2024 is to help dogs in need.
As I look back on my year of tremendous loss and magnificent joys, I do look ahead to the new year. I have been accepted into a nine month writing course beginning in April. It’s called “The Big One” from Firefly Creative. It was an honour to be chosen from so many applicants and I am going to “Do Big Things”. The memoir manuscript I have been working on for years is going to get an overhaul. Words. Words will continue to be my intention in the new year and who knows where that will take me?
So as this year wraps up, I am full of gratitude for all that I have and sadness for all that I have lost. But I am also learning to be grateful for the losses as they make the joyous moments shine even brighter. This is what I wish for all of you. Thank you for being such an important part of it all. See you in the new year.
Until next time, Buon giorno.
Caprice
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