Word for the Year 2020

For 2020 I wanted a verb that included the idea of “enthusiasm.”

I toyed with using “enthuse,” but decided that it had too much … cynicism intrinsic in the very word itself. I want to be positive with enthusiasm; interested; participatory in a good way, interested with .

As I thought more and more about what I really needed for 2020, it was engagement.  To cheerfully, interestedly, enthusiastically engage with people and ideas.

I find it all too easy to live in my head, separate myself from ideas, not listen to narrations (oops), step back when in a group, etc.  Introversion, in and of itself, isn’t a bad thing. The longer I’m home with my kids, I find myself becoming more and more introverted. It becomes so much effort to leave the house.

I find myself not talking to people after church. I find myself ordering groceries – which is great! – but not seeing the people in the store. It is easy to like but not comment … not reach out when I disagree. I can consume media without responding. I live in my head, having conversations with people providing their parts – which may or may not be representative of what they’d actually say. I keep joys and sorrows to myself.

So, for 2020 I need to actually engage→ with life and the people around me.

I need to engage→ myself more in my kids’ work. Pre-read, participate, think with them, engage in the ideas and ways and thoughts they’re thinking.

I want to engage→ the ideas in my reading more. I’ve long found that I think when I write, so I hope to write more – maybe even, dare I say, blog more? Maybe more poetry?

I want to be better at my work, engaging moms where they are with Morning Time and helping them develop those relationships.

I want to think more deeply about my faith and act more on Christ’s call, to be engaged in the work of the Kingdom. Even when I’m uncomfortable.

There are more ways I should engage→ in real and virtual life, but I hope to explore those in the coming months. I hope you’ll join me in that exploration.