Posted by:  Anne and Elizabeth

What a difference a year makes!  We can hardly believe it, but we’re about to celebrate the 1-year-anniversary of Life in Pencil.  It would have been a lonely journey without you, our readers, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for joining us. 

Both of us have changed and grown, as has this blog.  We’ve given our time, words, and energy, and it’s given back to us too.  In celebration, we’ve chosen our favorite posts for one another, and also shared the “top 5 lessons” we’ve learned from our year of living (or attempting to live) our lives in pencil. 

Elizabeth’s favorite post of Anne’s:  An Early Artifact
Anne’s favorite post of Elizabeth’s:  Skittles and Stationery

Anne in Pencil:

1.  “It” can wait.  “It” could be anything.  Loading the dishwasher.  Folding my laundry.  Even exercising.  And “it” is always something that appears on my daily to-do list.  I believe this blog has increased my awareness of how often I’m constantly moving, and how deeply relieved I feel when I let “it” go, and slow down. 

2.  Risk is good.  Writing words for the public to read.  Owning my dream of writing a novel.  These have felt like risks…in a really good way.  Whether I achieve my fantasies or fail miserably, I love that I’ve dared to indulge a dream.

3.  Learn to wait.  Actually, I think this little nugget of wisdom came from my grandfather, years and years ago.  But after a year of wondering when I’ll finally feel “settled”, I’m learning to cherish the stability I do have, and the life I’m living right now. 

4.  There’s joy in surprises.  New friendships, new hobbies, and new goals.  When life hands you something that never appeared on a to-do-list, the surprise makes them all the sweeter.

5.  I have more courage than I thought.  As I reflect on my year, I see an adventurous person.  I see someone who traveled to another continent, created a niche for myself in a brand new community, and found new energy in her professional life.  Massive changes?  No.  But a “change-phobe” as I originally thought?  I don’t think so.  I’ll always want to know what comes next, but while I’m waiting…my life will be rich and full. 

Elizabeth in Pencil:

1.  Rewriting relationships.  I’ve had to modify and rewrite the terms of some of difficult relationships, and let others go altogether.  On the other hand, I’ve had some wonderful opportunities to renew or expand existing relationships.  Life in Pencil has taught me that every eraser mark is met with a new pencil stroke.

2.  Accepting parenthood.  I began the year with ambivalence about the prospect of becoming a mother, and am ending the year close to delivering my first baby, having completely and unexpectedly immersed myself in the experience.  Life in Pencil has taught me that there are no sure things in life, that we never know how we’ll feel about something until we’re in the situation, and that motherhood is the ultimate expression of, as I once said, “uncertainty incarnate.” 

3.  Being present.  The journey isn’t over yet, but new activities such as gardening; eating and living seasonally; and taking up yoga and swimming have moved me closer down the path of living in the now.   Life in Pencil has taught me that life’s best gifts come when we are fully engaged in whatever we are doing. 

4.  Accepting both the conventional and unconventional aspects of my life.  The greatest demon I’ve tackled this year is realizing that I don’t need to try to be “special” to be different.  By accepting that some aspects of my life are conventional, and others very unconventional, Life in Pencil has taught me that none of us are one dimensional, none of our lives are either/or, and all of us are capable of rewriting our identities at any time. 

5.  Being extraordinarily ordinary.  My greatest moments of happiness this year have come in the form of the most ordinary experiences.  True grace comes when we can rewrite our expectations and metrics of success, and realize that “the good life” isn’t something we have to wait around for:  it’s ours for the taking right now.  Life in Pencil has taught me that I don’t need to do more or be more to have a truly wonderful life. 

Now, how about you?  In what ways has the blog helped YOU to better live your Life in Pencil over the past year?  What Life in Pencil lessons have you learned about yourself as a result?  Do you have a favorite post from the past year?