My Word for 2020

Front door of a B and B in Ireland
(c) 2014 Rev. Linda M. Rhinehart Neas

What a surprise to have the random word picker give me the word "visit" for my 2020 word of the year just after I was thinking of our trip to Ireland back in 2014 and our dear friends who live there!

Visit is something I enjoy doing. However, I have never really looked at the word - its meaning or origin. After all, it is one of those words that we use daily without thinking much about, right?

First off, visit can be used as both a noun and a verb.  As a noun, it means: the act of visiting, or having a chat or talk.  As a verb, visit means: to go to and stay with (a person or family) or at (a place) for a short time for reasons of sociability, politeness, business, curiosity, etc.; to stay with as a guest; to make a visit; to talk or chat casually.

The origins of the word are from the Latin "visitare" which means "to go to see."  

 As a teacher, minister and writer, I visit quite a lot!  This year, I will visit with more intention, mindfully as the Buddhists say. I will not take my encounters with other so casually. I will try to look for the reasons why my life crosses with others - why we just happen to visit at a particular time.

I will also try not to be OCD about my home being perfect before someone comes to visit.  Having an open door, means being real with clutter and crumbs, not cookie-cutter-Home-Beautiful perfect. 

Additionally, I will look for more opportunities to visit with Spirit, to be out in Nature, to listen to the soft whispers that come on the breezes of intuition and knowing. 

May we all have wonderful visits with our loved ones in the New Year ahead. May our daily visits with others be full of blessings and may we never take our "chance encounters" for granted. 

Blessings to all!

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