Scatter my ashes here...

Scatter my ashes here...
scatter my ashes in the desert...

Friday, December 18, 2009

Looking Forward


This time of year is always important for me. It's a time for spiritual renewal, for looking back over the past year's events, and looking forward to the unopened gifts of the coming year. With the dark, cold and snow it gets quiet outside, I have the cool air and gray skies to myself, people have mostly gone indoors, and it's a time for introspection, reflection, and quiet planning for what's ahead.

Solstice is when the light returns and I always think of January 1st as the first day of spring. This year we are lucky to have a blue moon. December 31 is the second full moon this month.

Since Across the Years is not happening this year it is important to carry out my tradition, which is to run in the new year. I will miss my running companions but they will be with me in spirit, in various places around the planet, doing the same.

I'm going to spend 12 hours of the holiday being upright and moving forward into the new year. No goal for miles, just move forward for 12 hours, listen to music, meditate, and celebrate being alive, the return of the light, give thanks for all the good in my life, and give thanks for all the difficulties which have really been opportunities for change and growth.

The way I always prepare for this is to make my list of meditations for the run. Things I want to focus on, things I want to change, and always in a spirit of gratitude. I am not sure where I'll run yet, I am so used to running in circles while I do this, but I'll find the right place, with a view of the big sky and the mountains.

Anyone can join me, on their own, in any place, at any time during the two days of December 31 and January 1. Run in circles, run a straight road, trail or path, or run on a treadmill. Just go. Move from one year to the next, with the energy and motion of being alive. If you do, write me a note and tell me what you did, and more importantly, what you learned.

Happy Solstice!

4 comments:

Run Home Pam said...

Beautiful post, Alene. When I run on New Years Day I'm going to run intentionally. With memory and hope. Thanks for the inspiration. (And I didn't know about the blue moon. Very cool!)

Alene Gone Bad said...

Happy holidays, Pam. I'll look forward to hearing about your new year run! I wish you a healthy, happy 2010.

Unknown said...

Enjoy the holidays and your 12 hour run (literally 12 hours? Wow!). I checked out the Pemberton 50k in AZ you told me about, but it's a little soon and I'll probably do a Spring marathon instead and then maybe Chicago in the Fall. But I'm going to AZ in Jan anyway to see relatives.

Let me know if you feel like doing a shorter run together sometime.

Rick

Alene Gone Bad said...

Thanks Rick, you enjoy the holidays too! Let's do a run in the new year. We'll figure it out in January.