I had a good friend ask me an important question: How are you celebrating your certification?

Just over a week ago, I passed my final written and oral examinations, then had a successful coaching session with my Certification Master Coach.  Her final question for me was “So, how does it feel to be a Certified Martha Beck Life Coach?”

I am proud to have reached this goal that I set for myself.  And, celebration felt deserved and in order.  But, last weekend life got in the way, as it so often does, and celebration didn’t happen.

Which isn’t exactly true.  I received many comments of congratulations from my fellow Martha Beck cadets, and those hold great meaning to me.  I also went for a good walk with a friend that I hadn’t shared time with in quite a while.

But, I lacked a clear vision of what would feel like celebration, and the weekend passed without celebration reaching out and grabbing me by the shirt collar.

As I entered this weekend, I mentioned to my Buddy my lack of celebration.  Which is when she redirected it to me–what celebration do you want to claim for yourself?

Well, that’s it, isn’t it?

So, this morning I awoke very early, and found myself searching rentals of Tuscan villas for a WIG I have of someday hosting a week-long retreat in Tuscany.  What a great way to start my day.  We enjoyed a very relaxing day, listening to Christmas music and decorating the tree, staying cuddly and cozy waiting for a wonderful winter storm.  Joy made a hearty beef stew (her Mom’s recipe) and brownies for dessert.

We decided to cuddle with a movie after dinner.  Joy picked Under the Tuscan Sun; I don’t know if she was influenced by my mention of Tuscan villas.  We both love the movie, and this time we both noted many locations we recognized from our honeymoon.  The movie storyline departs a lot from Frances Mayes’ book, but I am touched by the main character’s leap, to buy Bramasolé.  I also loved that she began writing again, able to express the beauty and character in which she was immersed.

The villa for sale we discovered on our honeymoon.

For me, quite a lovely day of celebration!

(By the way, for anyone familiar with the movie, here’s an interesting circumstance–there’s a few mentions of ladybugs in the movie, representing the materialization of love.  So, here we are in New England, in the middle of a snow storm.  The movie ends, and Joy goes out to the kitchen.  She calls me out to see that, crawling on the ceiling, is one singular ladybug.)