And A New Year, It Is

New flower breaks through rock

I have been fascinated with the idea of “new” this year. “New,” of course, means it hasn’t been before. I’m reading Billionaire Richard Branson‘s autobiography and aware he names his companies “Virgin,” as for him, each company and its concept for him is “new.” It is outside of the known. It is beyond what is present preceding this moment. The idea hasn’t yet taken form.

2013 is a time in history which hasn’t yet been. And, within this year I can experience newness by becoming new and courting The New. I can decide the way I will approach life. Will I choose to be a victim, complain, and judge? Or, will I choose to live from my Highest knowing of Spirit? Will I contribute my gifts, skills and talents to Life? And, in what forms? And, to whom? Do I dare to be the Authentic Bonnie as more and more of me is revealed to me? I say YES to entering into my own new experience of me.

This past weekend I went to Los Angeles to connect with Agape International Spiritual Center, which I affectionally refer to as “the Mothership.” Not being a trekkie, I have no idea what that means, except the energy of that phrase lightens up my being. The energy of the Divine Mother in the form of a ship which explores where “no man has gone before” tickles me.

While in town, I visited many individuals who are living their gifts loudly. One such individual is my friend, and spiritual sister Larisa Stow. As Larisa and I drank tea and snuggled up on the couch we spoke of what we knew to be God. Her spiritual outlook is more Eastern, than Western, and she proceeded to tell me that her life is very selfish. Another word could be Soulful. Her service is derived from the deep, deep joy she can feel within her being. She said “my band and I play music within jails because I am filled with more Light in prisons than anywhere else. I go for me.”

And, she’s right. I write because I love it. I hold my grand daughter and feel her heart beat against mine because I love the experience of life against life. I pray with people and teach because I become enlivened by doing so. Loving is selfish. The more I love, the more love I experience. Giving is selfish. The more I give, the more I have. Taking a stand for justice is selfish, the more I stand for justice, the more justice I can experience.

While in Los Angeles, I visited the Saban Theater where weekly Marianne Williamson gives her weekly talk. I grabbed my journal to capture her most brilliant words “You become generous out of self interest.” This is so.

My three words this year are Excellence, Efficiency, and Effervescence. All E words. My commitment to myself this year is to live out the energy of each one of these words and enter into new understanding of them as me.

Join me in pondering what new could be for you.

I am grateful for you in my life and look forward to living 2013.

(note to self: I am setting my intention to meet Branson)