Ikigai Thought for Today: Open to the Message
A year of special things
Open to the Message
Year-end, for me, becomes a time of reflection and setting intentions for the following year.
It’s not so much about reliving the year and planning the next as hearing a message of what the coming year is calling me to experience.
As 2018 came to a close, what I heard was about relationships. Specifically with my five adult children. My three and two-in-law children.
I decided I’d do something special with each of my kids one-on-one in 2019.
A Year of Special Times
The picture above is one of those events. My daughter-in-law and I went out to dinner and then saw Hamilton live.
My daughter liked that idea so much that we did the same for our special event.
My son-in-law and I went to the Indianapolis 500-mile race. My oldest son wanted to see Billy Joel in concert, while my youngest son loves sports, and we went to our first game in the new Milwaukee Bucks arena.
Little did we know that the whole world would shut down only months after the last of these remarkable events.
That time invested in connecting with my kids in a new way sustained us all through the first year of the pandemic. We had those moments and memories to draw upon while isolated.
It also strengthened my relationship with my kids in ways that continue to pay dividends.
As the year draws to a close, I invite you to reflect on these past months with gratitude, then listen quietly for what next year might be calling you to do—you may be surprised, as I was, by where it leads.
Quest well.
I am so happy to know about you, David Marlow. I look forward to learning more.
2019 was the year my dad left us, and strangely, I thought he knew to go before Covid. He passed away in October, and Covid hit in March 2020. It was good to have the whole family together, celebrating the life of my dad. It was also great to receive so many showings of love from people around the world.
This year has been a pivotal year for me. I decided to reinvent myself when AI took over my work, and at present, I have no idea where I am going, but I've been developing my creativity as I never did before, and I can see doors opening very soon.
This is a great exercise and it has inspired me to write about it. Thank you! as always. 😊