Winter Solstice

I love winter. I love everything about it, even the cold, blowing, bitter cold nights when the trees crackle in the wind and my immediate world is frozen. Without fail, every impending winter solstice sends me into a reflective mode -- a space where I want to get back on track, find balance and focus on what is really important to me. It is about winter and what it brings that sends me to this space, I think. Since I was a young adult I have appreciated how winter forces me to slow down. It forces me to drive slower on the roads, to take more time getting ready to head outside, to linger by a woodstove. The weather dictates what I do. If it snows, whether I want to go skiing in the woods, or read a book by the wood stove, bake cookies or make soup, I have to shovel, snowblow and rake the roof. If it is snowing or icing, I lighten the lead foot. And that's okay. I love it all. And I love the reflection, the focus on myself, the attention to what it important.

Along with an intentional ski out in Temple, this year I am starting to write again. I have been inspired by Amity's blog -- checking it regularly. Her blog and others have inspired me to take time to think -- whether it be about teaching, love, choices, friends, inspiration -- time to think and articulate. Originally, when I first started checking out people's blogs, I thought no way -- not for everyone to read -- just for me. But then I thought about what I get from reading blog -- from looking at other blogs listed, and I thought, I have to put it out there. I have to try. I will see what happens. The cycle begins.

Today is the winter solstice. For some reason this year, I felt it was incredibly important to do something significant to acknowledge the day. I guess it is because I have been feeling out of sorts, disconnected from the season or the cycles and because I have felt stressed, discombobulated and apart from my home -- the one in West Farmington and the one in the woods. I planned a full day outside -- with Alison -- cross country skiing and snowshoeing. But then the storm was predicted (I am not complaining) and I still thought, yup, I am doing it -- all day outside. And then I faced the reality of the weather -- cold -- windy -- big snow and I revised my plan. Instead I spent the morning alone, X-C skiing fresh snowmobile trails without a trace of a snowmobile, in Temple. I chose trails I had never been on before and used my super sense in the woods making lefts and rights and creating a big loop. I smiled a lot -- climbed a lot (for 40 minutes straight) and was so thankful for where I live and what I love. Luna was there and she was so happy. It did the trick. The time in the woods, the attention to the season and the day, the true arrival of winter all made me naturally happy and still.

Made a bunch of sushi at home too -- soooo good. Great spending of fuel (skiing) and great refueling (sushi and homemade hot and sour soup).