Happy New Year 2024!
I hope everyone enjoyed a happy and safe Christmas, Yuletide, Hannukah, and Kwanzaa holidays.
Thank you, Margaret, at Reflections on the Teche for starting off our year of SLJ posts.
I've been excitedly waiting to share my one little word for 2024 with you all. I tentatively chose WORLD in November and it's hard to say if coincidence or confirmation bias that led to me choosing it for this next year. What do you think?
My Journey to WORLD
- Like so many, I'm sad about the state of affairs in so many parts of our WORLD. I've been journaling my thoughts and in November seriously considered making WORLD my olw '24
- At work, I've been using 11x17 inch paper for student activities...the size of that paper inspired me to use some WORLD clip art and copy 30 (11x17) pages at a local Kinkos to make journals with. I made the first journal for myself using the oversized paper and pages from old atlases. I'm very satisfied with this journal size and theme
- In December I stumbled across this quotation from Maggie Smith's poem, Written Deer. WORLD seemed to be speaking louder to me
- Over Christmas Break, my husband and I traveled to Hamburg Germany for some time as tourists and time with German friends. After choosing a coffee cup from a selection on a tray, our friend explained to me that the iconic gate of Hamburg is known as, the gate to the WORLD.
- I was also drawn to these books in our friend's very impressive library. By now hook, line, and sinker WORLD had caught me. What could I do but give in to a year of WORLD focus, reflection, and writing?
So what do you think? Confirmation bias? Coincidence? Devine suggestion? No matter which path led me to WORLD, we are happily making friends and dreaming big dreams together for this next year.
I have made a padlet for a WORD poem for each week of 2024.
Linda, it seem as if WORLD was following you not wanting to be ignored. In a broad sense, your word opens you up to so many possibilities…a world of writing, a world of traveling, a world of places to explore. Hope your word takes you to many new and exciting places. Bob
ReplyDeleteHello Linda! What a lovely word to befriend for 2024. I cannot wait to hear all it teaches you.
ReplyDeleteAlready traveling the world and finding your new word. I love how you choose a word and explore it each week in poetry. I hope I will be better this year at keeping up with your padlet.
ReplyDeleteLinda, I love your word, world. It is perfect after 2023's word. You have made a stellar start with your first poem of the year. I'll be anxious to follow the sad state of worldly affairs with some extra wisdom from your World Poems.
ReplyDeleteGreat choice! Happy New Year! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com (P.S. I am still waiting for the WORD you sent me back in April -- just had some things arrive after 9 months so maybe I will get it soon! :-))
ReplyDeleteI loved reading about your journey of your "World." I am always fascinated by these stories. I just pulled this same poem by Maggie Smith out of my file to write beside in my notebook. I had forgotten that I had this one. I also love the idea of using the Padlet as a collection. I might have to steal this idea.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for keeping your OLW until you are ready to relinquish it. Thanks for this reference to the Maggie Smith poem. It is new to me and one I must reread and reconsider. Blessings this year as you consider the world!
ReplyDeleteLinda, I am fascinated by your OLW because it brings a universal perspective to your padlet. Your first poem on the padlet is filled with ia multitude of thoughts both past ones and another for the future. I look forward to reading World's padlet. Enjoy her company.
ReplyDeleteI'm always amazed when people pick words different from most of the crowd. You've done this with world, but how could you resist? This word stalked you.
ReplyDeleteI love these words from your first World poem:
"I tap away at my keyboard creating
enough world for us to hold onto
for a little while still in the light."
Keep creating enough world for us to hold onto!
Synchronicity! It's what I call it when stars align, when the universe calls, when everything seems to be pointing to the one thing. Perhaps the WORLD is tapping you (and through you, us?) on the shoulder begging for attention - and prayers. May our lives be blessed answers. Thank you for this post, Linda!
ReplyDelete