Hi, I’m Judith Ashley, author of The Sacred Women’s Circle series, soul nourishing romantic women’s fiction that honors pagan spiritual practices. My stories show you what life could be like if, in the darkest nights, you choose love and light.
All Hallows Eve, Halloween are the first “official”
holidays of my tis the season.
Then comes November, my birth month. I choose something
special as a gift to myself over a period of time that equals one day for each
year of my life. I started this tradition when I celebrated my 50th
and have never looked back. This year my birthday season goes into January!
Of all the December tis the season spiritual holidays, I celebrate Winter Solstice
and Christmas. The latter because I have great grands and grands and that is
the spiritual holiday they celebrate.
There are about sixty-two days from Hallow’s Eve or
Halloween to Thanksgiving (USA) and through the December spiritual holidays.
And then comes The New Year!!!
I’ve never been one who goes forth and parties although I
did spend one memorable New Year’s Eve and Day at the Oregon Coast watching
waves dash upon the rocks!!!
For this New Year’s Eve I’m already planning. Fire in fireplace, bottle of something sparkly (not sure what yet), paper and multiple pens in different colors. Once the fire is blazing, I will curl on the couch and consider the year past jotting down thoughts and feelings about what did and didn’t happen.
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| Lt. Col. Boyd C. Yaden with fans |
I lost a longtime friend in June to CoVid-19, I didn’t get that week visiting my great grands, months went by and no hugs and without Zoom, those months would not have included seeing friendly faces. I’m a writer, a published author and my plans for 2020 in that department did not materialize at all.
What did?
I became somewhat proficient with Zoom, figured out how
to use Insta-Cart, relied upon a neighbor to do some fresh produce shopping for
me when she went to the store (yes, we independent types see that as a huge
deal). I’ve a friend with dementia and I figured out a schedule for myself so I keep in touch with her.
I’ve also bitten one of my proverbial bullets and have
taken two on-line classes with Maggie Lynch to
learn Search Engine Optimization and how to reinvigorate my mailing list. I’ve
started by giving my newsletter a name: Choices.
My plan is to write about once a month. And
I highly recommend you check out Maggie’s website. She is an excellent on-line
(and in person) instructor!
I swept leaves off my front decks which has been beyond
my physical strength for some time. I did pay a price with a sore shoulder for
a few days but looking back I see it as a milestone regarding the regaining of
strength and stamina.
I was pro-active and asked for a new doctor (of my
choosing) when I learned my current PCP was leaving the group practice. And I
chose Well! I battled and won the war against a mild Shingles outbreak (do get
the immunization done).
Last but not least during my tis
the season time frame, I signed up for two online courses in
Divination Card Reading. I’m now a Certified Angel Tarot Card Reader and will
have my general Divination
Card Reader Certification by the end of December. There is magic in
the cards or as I’ve learned within me.
As you can see, in many ways 2020 was a very good year!
What about 2021?
I’ve already started planning!!! By this time next year I
will have spent a week at the beach, a week with my great grands. I’ll have Yes, You Can Create A Life You Love published.
I will have at least one in person author event.
Choices will be going out to my mailing list in about
a month with tips on how to make choices that create the tomorrow we want to
live in as well as news about authors and books I enjoy reading. Contests,
updates on my writing, new releases and information I hope will entertain as
well as inform.
You can sign up for my mailing list here.
You can
find all of my books at your favorite e-book vendor. Be sure to ask your local
library if you’d prefer to read my books through that resource.
Learn more about Judith's The Sacred Women’s Circle series at JudithAshley.net
Follow Judith on Twitter: JudithAshley19
Check out Judith’s Windtree Press author page.
You can also find Judith
on FB!
6 comments:
Great post, Judith! It's been a strange year with the pandemic. I've put lots on hold too. You seem up beat and looking forward to the new year. This is definitely a December to Remember, and one that will hopefully not be repeated!!
Happy holidays!
Love this post, Judith! You have indeed accomplished many things: new knowledge, new skills, new plans, a better sense of where you want to go now and how to balance your multiple interests. You deserve a huge pat on the back for all of that.
I think 2020 has been a time of reconsideration for many of us. Taking the time to look once more at what is important in our lives and how we will make sure to keep that importance at the center moving forward. You are a great example of that.
Diana, it is certainly a December to Remember and better left in the past! I am looking forward to 2021 and seeing what life brings my way as I wander through my 80th year. Holding positive thoughts that by this time next year (actually even soon that this time) it will be safe for us to be out and about, giving and receiving hugs, meeting up for a nice meal at a favorite restaurant (and eating inside).
Thanks Maggie! It was interesting to write because I thought the list of "not" would be much longer! Of course going without hugs for months on end did and does seem to be more "not" than some of the things I did do. The pandemic certainly put the brakes on many people's lives while doing just the opposite to our first responders and essential workers. I am daily grateful to be retired, have a home, food and internet connection so I can "see" friends on Zoom. Hope to expand that to "family" before the end of the year.
Nice post, Judith--I'm glad you were able to make it a productive year after all. May 2021 be even better!
Thanks Lynn - sometimes when we look back, we find we've done more than we think we do in the moment.
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