At the northern tip of our planet, the sun rises on a new year just as earth’s axis has tilted as far from the sun as it will. Once, I looked down on a glacier from a mountain trail.
I love the idea of continued new beginnings and also I’m allowing for a slow start. In the dark of morning and evening I’m allowing my body to rest and recharge
Oh, I love this idea of slow starts. I’m doing that these days more than I ever have. This is especially true when it comes to mornings. On some, I just stay under the covers well beyond the very early starts I’ve ben accustomed to for quite some time. I was, for a time, sort of beating myself up about it. But of late I’ve been telling myself to embrace it. It’s good for me. It’s what my body needs. So I really appreciate you saying this. It’s like you knew what I needed to hear. Thank you, Susan. ♥️
This is exceptional Holly. Your writing is both powerful and catchy at the same time. I LOVE that you started the paragraphs with listen. It made me listen. Brilliant.
I am a sucker for a fresh start, the sense of new. When I was in school we were on the quarterly system which offered me four new beginnings. It took me a few years to get over not having that many fresh starts in a year🤣
Ohhhh! Powerful and catchy. Love it. Thank you. I knew I had to do something to set those three looooonnnnggg sentences off. I’m so glad the “Listen” worked for you.
Your support means oh so much, Donna. Thank you, thank you.
I’m a sucker for new starts too. And more and more so the more I realize I can and must have them all the time, for big reasons and “small,” by change in perspective, by doing something for the love of someone else, by seeing something gorgeous out my window, by learning the practice of joy from a dog.
I remember the quarterly system, and I really liked it too. Had a hard time switching to the semester system when I switched universities.
"The practice of joy from a dog". This is lovely (and interesting because my heart is starting to yearn for a dog after the loss of our cat last year).
Oh, that would be a change, I’d imagine—from cat to dog. And I’m so sorry for your loss. Saying goodbye to those dear friends can be excruciating.
It’s funny, I do love my friends’ animals. I’m a pet auntie, I say. But I personally have never (or rarely, there were two goldfish and my ex hubby’s hound dog) had an animal companion. Nor do I feel any urge to remedy that. I get enough of that love and wisdom from my auntie status. :)
Would love to hear if you do decide to bring a dog into your heart and home.
There is a LOT to be said for being a pet auntie. That is my current status and might remain so. The thing is, we had THEBESTCATEVER. Really. So any other kitty will never measure up. Our last rescue dog was a handful despite our very best efforts so any other dog will likely be a little easier.
Holly this was heaven to listen to in my always hurried lunch break - how you managed to pronounce all those names so perfectly, how all over the world different people in different countries near and far are starting anew and even more heavenly to read again later, when home and seated and calm... all I have to do now is choose which heavenly paragraph to share!
Thank you for uplifting words - especially today! xx
Oh, thank you for saying that. I only hope I pronounced those words correctly. I did spend quite a lot of time researching and practicing, and I wasn’t so sure about recording, as I didn’t want to mispronounce and offend. But I went for it. I was absolutely enamored of having found all these new years and just the idea of us foibling creatures striving and starting and celebrating in our same/different ways. So I wanted to give the piece the full treatment. :)
Thank you very much for your close attention and support. It means so very much.
A beauty of an essay that in itself renews. Doesn't the newness present challenges and each of us must find a way? Some are better at this than others and empathy rises in my heart at this thought ...
Oh yes, that is sooo true. And, too, for me at different times of my life, newness is easier for me to adapt to and move through and more challenging at others.
Something about researching and writing this piece really filled me with empathy and grace for us all as humans.
I so appreciate your reading and commenting, dear Mary. Your wisdom and grace are always welcome additions.
I had no idea there were so many different calendar beginnings. And I am so impressed with how you not only packed so much information into your essay but how beautifully you weaved it all together.
My birthday is at the end of May, so personally, I get a new beginning that month even if there aren’t any on the calendar haha
Also, you wrapped the piece up so well with that final line! I loved it :)
I didn’t either. And I was delighted to learn about them. Oh my gosh, I had sooooo much more information I wanted to pack in. I had to cut out entire paragraphs, telling myself details of all the different celebrations would be too much.
I love that you have a new beginning in May!
And thank you. I toyed with a number of different final lines. So I’m delighted you like the one that made the cut. ;)
Holly this is genius. Gorgeous. Your words zoomed me out beyond borders and human constructs of time and let me rest in the joyous inevitability of renewal. All the ways, big and small. Thank you friend.
Gah! Thank you, Kimberly. "Zoomed me out beyond borders and human constructs of time"--goal reached. Truthfully. You have a gift, as Eric said in your interview of him, for seeing people and their intentions. It's a beautiful thing.
So many ways to start again! I'm attracted, right now, to the idea of what I don't know, and how so much of what worries me takes root because I am connecting dots that aren't there. I love adding in this awareness of being able to begin anew across the year, around the globe, from right where I am in the moment. I'm not bound to what I've learned to fear!
This is poetic, Holly, and moves--undulates--like the waters and lands we inhabit. Yellow for red. Dolphins for fatigue. Stones for fun. And you plunged into an ice pool!!!??? I'm in awe.
Thanks. That pool was soooooo cold. There are these little blue pools that form on glaciers. Like blue the color of a popsicle. And our guide was telling the three of us who’d signed up to spend the day on the glacier about the blue plunge club. We at first thought he was kidding. You can’t even touch the sides of the glacier, cold aside. But when we realized it was a thing, we all were like, I’m in. What an experience.
And yeah, I was just completely taken by the idea of new years beginning again and again across the world. It feels so touching to think of us all striving as we do.
I really love your point about worries taking root by connecting dots that aren’t there. And becoming unbound to learned fears is such a wise and graceful thing.
It's amazing to think that people all over the world are celebrating new beginnings in their own unique ways. It's a reminder that we are all connected, despite our differences. I'm grateful for the opportunity to share this journey of renewal with you, Holly, and with all of you who are reading this article. 🩵
Me, too, Alexander. These multiple celebrations made me feel so tender toward humanity—all of us striving and hoping and starting again and making rituals and moving along in this endlessly moving world we share. It was really nice to feel that tenderness, as I’m too often feeling, well, let’s say, differently about humanity these days.
Thank you, thank you for being here for all this renewing. You’re a wonderful part of this community, and I’m honored you choose to join in and share your responses.
I loved reading about all the celebrations and had to cut out a lot, as the piece originally had so many details about the different celebrations. But I was like, girl, no one wants to read all this. ;)
I’m so glad you enjoyed this one. I really enjoyed researching and writing it. I felt all goo-goo eyed over humanity, how we’re all striving and making ritual and finding reason to hope and seeking beauty and starting again and again.
I love the idea of continued new beginnings and also I’m allowing for a slow start. In the dark of morning and evening I’m allowing my body to rest and recharge
Oh, I love this idea of slow starts. I’m doing that these days more than I ever have. This is especially true when it comes to mornings. On some, I just stay under the covers well beyond the very early starts I’ve ben accustomed to for quite some time. I was, for a time, sort of beating myself up about it. But of late I’ve been telling myself to embrace it. It’s good for me. It’s what my body needs. So I really appreciate you saying this. It’s like you knew what I needed to hear. Thank you, Susan. ♥️
I used to get up every day to walk at 4:30 before work. Now I give myself permission to snuggle under the covers. Thank you for your writing Holly
Oh that’s an early am walk! Glad you’re enjoying the snuggling. Thank you. 🥰
This idea of a slow start: I'm seeing it again and again, and I'm there.
To slow starts!!
This is exceptional Holly. Your writing is both powerful and catchy at the same time. I LOVE that you started the paragraphs with listen. It made me listen. Brilliant.
I am a sucker for a fresh start, the sense of new. When I was in school we were on the quarterly system which offered me four new beginnings. It took me a few years to get over not having that many fresh starts in a year🤣
Ohhhh! Powerful and catchy. Love it. Thank you. I knew I had to do something to set those three looooonnnnggg sentences off. I’m so glad the “Listen” worked for you.
Your support means oh so much, Donna. Thank you, thank you.
I’m a sucker for new starts too. And more and more so the more I realize I can and must have them all the time, for big reasons and “small,” by change in perspective, by doing something for the love of someone else, by seeing something gorgeous out my window, by learning the practice of joy from a dog.
I remember the quarterly system, and I really liked it too. Had a hard time switching to the semester system when I switched universities.
"The practice of joy from a dog". This is lovely (and interesting because my heart is starting to yearn for a dog after the loss of our cat last year).
Oh, that would be a change, I’d imagine—from cat to dog. And I’m so sorry for your loss. Saying goodbye to those dear friends can be excruciating.
It’s funny, I do love my friends’ animals. I’m a pet auntie, I say. But I personally have never (or rarely, there were two goldfish and my ex hubby’s hound dog) had an animal companion. Nor do I feel any urge to remedy that. I get enough of that love and wisdom from my auntie status. :)
Would love to hear if you do decide to bring a dog into your heart and home.
There is a LOT to be said for being a pet auntie. That is my current status and might remain so. The thing is, we had THEBESTCATEVER. Really. So any other kitty will never measure up. Our last rescue dog was a handful despite our very best efforts so any other dog will likely be a little easier.
We'll see, I'll keep you posted:)
I like the math. :)
Holly this was heaven to listen to in my always hurried lunch break - how you managed to pronounce all those names so perfectly, how all over the world different people in different countries near and far are starting anew and even more heavenly to read again later, when home and seated and calm... all I have to do now is choose which heavenly paragraph to share!
Thank you for uplifting words - especially today! xx
Oh, thank you for saying that. I only hope I pronounced those words correctly. I did spend quite a lot of time researching and practicing, and I wasn’t so sure about recording, as I didn’t want to mispronounce and offend. But I went for it. I was absolutely enamored of having found all these new years and just the idea of us foibling creatures striving and starting and celebrating in our same/different ways. So I wanted to give the piece the full treatment. :)
Thank you very much for your close attention and support. It means so very much.
If there was any mispronunciation Holly, it was lost in the beautiful recording… I certainly didn’t notice - your hard work is always evident. x
A beauty of an essay that in itself renews. Doesn't the newness present challenges and each of us must find a way? Some are better at this than others and empathy rises in my heart at this thought ...
Oh yes, that is sooo true. And, too, for me at different times of my life, newness is easier for me to adapt to and move through and more challenging at others.
Something about researching and writing this piece really filled me with empathy and grace for us all as humans.
I so appreciate your reading and commenting, dear Mary. Your wisdom and grace are always welcome additions.
Exquisite -- love the rolling newness throughout the year -- the way it speaks to cycles and rhythms.
Loved this ❤️
Thank you, Sophie! It was one of those essays I had a blast writing. So I love that you loved it!!
How wonderful. ❤️
Gah! Thank you, Linda. I very much appreciate you reading and commenting.
This was wonderful Holly!
I had no idea there were so many different calendar beginnings. And I am so impressed with how you not only packed so much information into your essay but how beautifully you weaved it all together.
My birthday is at the end of May, so personally, I get a new beginning that month even if there aren’t any on the calendar haha
Also, you wrapped the piece up so well with that final line! I loved it :)
I didn’t either. And I was delighted to learn about them. Oh my gosh, I had sooooo much more information I wanted to pack in. I had to cut out entire paragraphs, telling myself details of all the different celebrations would be too much.
I love that you have a new beginning in May!
And thank you. I toyed with a number of different final lines. So I’m delighted you like the one that made the cut. ;)
Hahaha I hear you. It’s always hard cutting all that extra info we learnt.
:)
Holly this is genius. Gorgeous. Your words zoomed me out beyond borders and human constructs of time and let me rest in the joyous inevitability of renewal. All the ways, big and small. Thank you friend.
Gah! Thank you, Kimberly. "Zoomed me out beyond borders and human constructs of time"--goal reached. Truthfully. You have a gift, as Eric said in your interview of him, for seeing people and their intentions. It's a beautiful thing.
Gorgeous writing, Holy, with an ending like a hosonna of grace from our universe. Thank you!
Gah!!! You say the most wonderful things, Jeffrey. I hope you know how much I appreciate you.
So many ways to start again! I'm attracted, right now, to the idea of what I don't know, and how so much of what worries me takes root because I am connecting dots that aren't there. I love adding in this awareness of being able to begin anew across the year, around the globe, from right where I am in the moment. I'm not bound to what I've learned to fear!
This is poetic, Holly, and moves--undulates--like the waters and lands we inhabit. Yellow for red. Dolphins for fatigue. Stones for fun. And you plunged into an ice pool!!!??? I'm in awe.
Thanks. That pool was soooooo cold. There are these little blue pools that form on glaciers. Like blue the color of a popsicle. And our guide was telling the three of us who’d signed up to spend the day on the glacier about the blue plunge club. We at first thought he was kidding. You can’t even touch the sides of the glacier, cold aside. But when we realized it was a thing, we all were like, I’m in. What an experience.
And yeah, I was just completely taken by the idea of new years beginning again and again across the world. It feels so touching to think of us all striving as we do.
I really love your point about worries taking root by connecting dots that aren’t there. And becoming unbound to learned fears is such a wise and graceful thing.
It's amazing to think that people all over the world are celebrating new beginnings in their own unique ways. It's a reminder that we are all connected, despite our differences. I'm grateful for the opportunity to share this journey of renewal with you, Holly, and with all of you who are reading this article. 🩵
Me, too, Alexander. These multiple celebrations made me feel so tender toward humanity—all of us striving and hoping and starting again and making rituals and moving along in this endlessly moving world we share. It was really nice to feel that tenderness, as I’m too often feeling, well, let’s say, differently about humanity these days.
Thank you, thank you for being here for all this renewing. You’re a wonderful part of this community, and I’m honored you choose to join in and share your responses.
So many celebrations. An opportunity to connect and reflect. 🥰🙏
I loved reading about all the celebrations and had to cut out a lot, as the piece originally had so many details about the different celebrations. But I was like, girl, no one wants to read all this. ;)
Thank you for connecting, my friend! ♥️
Beautiful, beautiful words and rhythm.
Thank you, thank you, Addie. ♥️♥️♥️
This is fantastic. Thank you, Holly, for reminding us that it is possible to continue to begin. Love to you
Thank you, dear friend!!!
To continuing to begin again and again.
Love you much! ♥️♥️♥️
You are the goods Holly! Thanks so much for pulling this all together and presenting it so lovingly. I truly enjoyed it!
Gah! Thank you, Sandy.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this one. I really enjoyed researching and writing it. I felt all goo-goo eyed over humanity, how we’re all striving and making ritual and finding reason to hope and seeking beauty and starting again and again.
I appreciate you much!!