It has not escaped my notice, as I look forward to 2012, that it happens to be a leap year (in addition to the end of the Mayan calendar – but that is another story).

In fact, the work “leap” has entered my consciousness so many times I thought perhaps it would be my word for the year.

Yes, it seems this year is a word and not a phrase year.

But no, “leap” is not it.  Very clearly not it.  In fact, the word came to me in November so clearly and so different, really, in feel than previous years that it surprised me and also made me very certain I was on the right track.

This morning, while I was ranging for quotes for my Facebook Fan Page, Tammy Vitale’s Wylde Women’s Wisdom, this quote sort of jumped right out at me – but not for today’s Fan Page quote.  It jumped out for reasons like synchronicity and a message from The Universe, or my angels, or maybe just a really good reminder.

So here’s my weird bit of advice:  If you’ve lost your life’s true passion (or if you’re struggling desperately to find passion in the first place), don’t sweat it.  Back off for a while.  But don’t go idle, either.  Just try something different, something you don’t care about so much.  Why not try following mere curiosity, with its humble, roundabout magic?  At the very least, it will keep you pleasantly distracted while life sorts itself out.  At the very most, your curiosity may surprise you.  Before you even realize what’s happening, it may have led you safely all the way home.  Elizabeth Gilbert

Did you see the word?

Curiosity!

My voices immediately said:  “killed the cat.”  Which must mean I’m truly on the right path since if my voices don’t raise a ruckus it usually means I’m retreading something I know that feels safe to the lizard brain.  So I laughed.  Which is also usually a very good sign!  Brian Andreas says it just right:

I used to wait for a sign, she said, before I did anything. Then one night I had a dream & an angel in black tights came to me & said, you can start any time now, & then I asked is this a sign? & the angel started laughing & I woke up. Now, I think the whole world is filled with signs, but if there’s no laughter, I know they’re not for me.

Along with curiosity and laughter, I think, come compassion for our human imperfection and love of ourself which always leads to love of others.  And if there’s anything I hope for in 2012 it is the rediscovery of love of ourselves and our neighbors – pink tights, purple polka dots, different culture, different god, shaved heads, bushy beards, spiked hair notwithstanding.  I am curious to see if and how that might happen – after all 2012 has been foretold as the end of the world as we know it – and what if, for once, instead of fear about what we might have to give up, change brought us all curiosity about what must die so that we all might live (I’m including animals and the Earth in  “all” since I am always hopeful that the human species will come to the acknowledgement that we are not the only occupants of this blue blue planet – and if we keep fouling our bed none of us will have a place to sleep in peace!).

Not a year for caution – it’s advice is clearly described in it’s designation.  So won’t you join me and Leap?!

Wylde Women’s Wisdom

The heart knows.  There’s nothing to choose.  Just something to set loose….The vagueness will clear when you decide to embrace whatever you hear…You came with instincts and imperatives and they will thrust through the mud and bud in their own glad season.  It’s not your answers or ideas that you need to worry about.  It’s your resistance to your ideas, any immediate reaction to choke the strange and uncomfortable…the heart always knows.  You have everything you need.  Tama Kieves This Time I Dance