my one word prompt {3.23}

My head and heart have felt full lately — for better and worse. It’s part of being engaged with the world. Right? The whole And Space:

joy & sorrow…lion & lamb…hope & fear…silly & serious…stressful & fulfilling…salty & sweet…

Point being, there has to be room–in our world, in our lives, in our hearts–for both.

Ask ’23 is off to a good start. I’ve appreciated the thought-provoking big things; the little things have been plain old fun or quirky or interesting. Ask has been intense, a time or two. It’s pushed me to risk. When I’m on the fence about something, I listen for Oliver Burkeman’s voice in the bubble at the top of my mind map. (Somehow, that makes it pretty darn easy.)

Anticipating this month…feeling both the good work and the weight of January, February…I thought,

I want March to feel wide open.

Sort of like a big, deep, fresh breath of air.

One way to get there? Ask ‘wide open’ questions. With no designs as to the answer. No expectations. No anticipated outcomes. (It might take some practice, some time, to loosen up!) Ask What if…? without poo-poo’ing the reality or unreality of it. The likelihood. Or feasibility. What if… could be a dream, a vision, a wish, a plan, a plea. It might be fleeting. Or? It might become.

What if…?*

In March, I’m going to keep a running list of What if’s…? I think I’ll find some paper in my Lotta Jansdotter book (a favorite) and jot them down for the next 31 days.

Mind you, I have no grand plans for these questions or answers. Not at the moment. None whatsoever. At the moment, all I want is to open to the questions.

*Funny enough, What if…? was an early front-runner for my One[‘ish] Word ’23, so I’m not surprised it’s making a cameo appearance now.

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Simple & fun. Full of possibility. I’ll take it!

Here’s to March —