2016. Imagine that. Another year come and gone, another journey around the sun, another day has slipped away and still so many aspirations sit idly unaccomplished. Not being an especially goal-oriented person, I learned long ago that a list of New Year’s resolutions is no solution for my lack of productivity. And while I firmly believe in the power of intention, I have also come to understand that some sort of purposeful action is required to bring those intentions to fruition. So, here I sit, stuck somewhere between the power of believing and the actuality of achieving. It has been a busy year, a very full year, a time of stretching the cozy confines of my comfort zone and breaking out of my box, so-to-speak. Change is good, but it can also be intimidating. It is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. Change is often required for growth and with that comes growing pains. It has been a year of significant change for me and though I am definitely experiencing those growing pains, some things remain ever the same…like the beauty in the adventure.

As we bring in a new year, it is customary to pause and reflect on all we have accomplished (or failed to accomplish) in the past year. This time frame, a year, is quite a convenient way to break down a lifetime of reflection into manageable little portions. If you stopped to think about all the have-nots, the should-do’s and the need-to’s that span the broader time frame of a lifetime, it’s quite likely you would simply sit down and give up. It is far too much for one, simple mind to comprehend, is it not?

On New Year’s Day I found myself amidst a pile of holiday greetings not yet addressed, a stack of packages that still need to be sent and a year-end to-do list that remains completely unchecked. Whenever I find myself in such situations, I often look for distraction in the form of “inspiration”. I came to this space, as I always do, to connect with you. But as I began to browse the photographic library of my adventures and discoveries over the past year, I was reminded of all the lovely little adventures, the beautiful encounters, the magic, the nature…my solace…that I failed to share last year. I was dismayed as I began to think of all I did not accomplish, the many things I set aside in order to survive this grand adventure we call Life. Growing pains. I am disappointed and excited all at the same time. While I am thrilled about the possibilities in various areas of my life, the road to accomplishment seems very daunting to me. I am in transition, you see. And as far as this blog goes, I am neither here nor there right now. For the sake of change and in the name of growth, Seek a Little Solace has decided to seek out a brand new space this year. We think we have found a new home in this blogoshpere. We are moving, we are settling in, but we are still very much in limbo. We seem to have outgrown this place in cyberspace, but the new house is not quite ready yet. We are still trying to get the lay of the land, configure the layout, pick out the fixtures and arrange the furniture. So, please bear with me while we work it all out and I will give a holler when when moving day finally comes about. (edit: Seek a Little Solace has moved! We are still settling in, but we are finally here!) In the meantime, it seems fitting to end the year by sharing a few of those lost little moments, some high points and view points from 2015.

While I did not get out and about as much as I hoped to this past year, I did manage to ascend a summit or two. I traveled some new trails, crossed a few passes and reached some high points with some pretty incredible views. All in the company of some genuinely cool people.

1. Enjoying a new view of Mono Lake from the summit of Mono Crater
2. A moody day on the summit of Thor Peak, High Sierra Nevada
3. My favorite explorer and our best hiking buddy near the summit of Sugarloaf Butte, Owens Valley
4. Celebrating my hubby’s birthday on the summit of Woolyback, Eastern Sierra Nevada
5. Best hiking buddy, leading me down the trail from Army Pass, High Sierra Nevada

I stopped to see some of those sites, that I have always driven by, saying we really should visit here…one day. I paused to take a closer look at the details and examine things from a new perspective.

1. Manzanar War Relocation Center, Independence, CA
2. Beetle exploring a datura flower at Manzanar
3. Lucky benchmark on Granite Mountain, Granite Basin
4. Shorty’s Grave, Death Valley National Park
5. Bennet’s Well, Death Valley National Park
6. Salt Flats, Death Valley National Park

I watched the moon rise while the stars appeared. I saw the sun rise and captured sunsets. And here and there, I paused to enjoy that quiet time of transition, the magic of in-between.

1. Moonrise, Granite Basin
2. Clouds and moon at sunrise, Granite Basin
3. Capturing sunrise, Granite Basin
4. Sunrise, Granite Basin
5. Hiking to Granite Mountain, Granite Basin

I explored new roads, I made new friends, I shaped new minds and I learned a whole lot. There is so much that remains undone, but looking back, I must acknowledge that I actually accomplished quite a bit this past year. And you? I do hope you feel accomplished, too. Your greetings may still sit unaddressed, your packages not yet sent and your list may remain unchecked, but if you pause to reflect on the memories and look closely at the in-betweens, you’ll probably find you accomplished quite a lot. As the sun sets on yet another year, I wish you all a wonderful new adventure! May you embrace the change, may you survive the growing pains, may you enjoy the beauty in the adventure.

Happy New Year!