1. A whole new year. It’s good to start over, to get another chance, to begin again, to let go and come back.

2. Supportive (and free) practice programs, such as Building a Mindful New Year (BMNY), a six day program from Susan Piver and Lodro Rinzler that just ended yesterday in which we focused practice and study on the six paramitas. What a nice way to spend that weird in-between time after Christmas but before New Years. Today I started 31 Days of Devotion, hosted by a teacher from BMNY, one of my favorite teachers Adreanna Limbach. The focus of a contemplation we did during our meditation this morning was “what do I feel devoted to this year?” (more on that in a later post). Both of these programs — rather than being more content I feel guilty about, more noise, another obligation, another thing on my should do list, something else to beat myself up about — are actually things that bring ease and clarity to my practice, add something that simplifies matters and creates space.

3. Ringo and Sam. We are in the golden years with these two now. Nobody is old or ill or dying, and no one is a baby. They need our care and attention, but it’s at a manageable, enjoyable level.

4. Eric. Buying me flowers, cooking for me, walking the dogs and taking them hiking, watching movies with me (we are going to see Star Wars today at the fancy theater), making me laugh, sleeping through the fireworks at midnight.

5. Marionberry jam. And butter, on toast.

6. Walking. A whole year ago my foot started hurting, five months ago I realized it was a thing and I needed to get it treated, four months ago I started physical therapy, two months ago I went to a podiatrist because it was only getting 90% better and I needed to do something else, and two weeks ago I got a cortisone shot in my foot. My routine for the past four months was this: Every morning the first thing when I get out of bed is a series of stretches. Next I put on shoes with special insoles, even though I’m still in my bathrobe, and I wear shoes all day long until I go to bed. Three times during the day, I ice and stretch my foot. Before I got to bed, I ice and stretch my foot one more time, and when I go to bed, I wear a splint on that foot. Every other day I do a series of strengthening and stretching exercises specifically to help that foot. Once a week I go to physical therapy — a combination of needling (so painful), electric stimulation, ultrasound, and massage, finishing with kinesiology tape. Finally, finally, finally my foot is better. It will take some time before I can walk the full nine miles in a day (six in the morning, three in the afternoon), but I can go three miles with no pain and that feels like some kind of a miracle. Yesterday morning, I got out of bed and both of my feet felt exactly the same, like totally normal feet.

Bonus joy: my new laptop, bran muffins with dried raspberries inside, clean water, my new bathroom (yes, still), good friends, the internet, a $45 repair for my cellphone (so I don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars buying a whole new one), heat, down blankets, wool socks, hot water, medicine, lotion, toothpaste, having choices, being able to say no, begin able to say yes, practice, writing, teaching.

Great Stupa of Dharmakaya, Shambhala Mountain Center

1. Fearlessly Creative Writing and Meditation Retreat with Susan Piver at Shambhala Mountain Center. This is the fourth time I’ve gone on retreat with Susan, and this was the best one ever. I wrote a lot, got to share some of it, spent time with Susan, and made a few new friends. I love that place so much.

2. Christmas!!! It is a bittersweet season for me, signaling the end of another year and reminding me that I live really really far away from the people I love the most. It’s lonely and sad, but also really sweet and beautiful. This song does the best at capturing the mood for me.

3. Good food. I tried two new recipes this year, and they both turned out really good: Awesome Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing and a biscuit breakfast bake (sort of like this recipe, but the one I followed called for 10 eggs and I used homemade cayenne biscuits). They both turned out really yummy.

4. Christmas cookies. I made these so many years for a cookie exchange that I got tired of them. However this year I found myself craving them, so made some. I promised I’d share the recipe, so here’s that:

400 degrees for 5-6 minutes (at high altitude, they need to cook a few minutes longer)
Makes 4-6 dozen, depending on size

1 1/2 cups butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 T. milk
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
3 3/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt

Cream first three ingredients together before adding the rest. Refrigerate complete mix overnight. Roll out to 1/4 inch thick, cut and bake. Frost when completely cooled with icing made from powdered sugar and water (I used 1/2 lemon juice for the liquid to make the icing for an extra zing of lemon).

They aren’t pretty, but they sure do taste good

5. Presents, which I’m about to go open with Eric.

6. But most of all, my tiny family. I wouldn’t be here without them.

Bonus joy: radio stations playing all Christmas music all the time, revisiting old Christmas favorites (we watched Die Hard and Home Alone, and today I’m going to watch Elf and Scrooged), heat when it’s cold outside, our fireplace DVD, twinkle lights, clean water, our new bathroom, the ability to buy a new washing machine or cellphone or even car if we need too without having to worry, texts from people who love or are thinking about me and just want to tell me, wool socks, the smell of pine trees, fresh snow.