Imprinting the New Year

On this the first day of the new year, I’ve chosen to live the day as I envision the year unfolding. Just as a baby gosling imprints on the very first creature it sees upon emerging from its shell, I am imprinting the year with deeds and thoughts and actions and feelings to carry me forward on my quest. Today will be my vision board in action. Writing. Walking. Connecting. Learning. Growing. Being in the moment.

The day begins with walking. I know how much my pup Lily Lu loves a good ramble, most especially when it’s cold and there’s powdery snow on the ground. It means unfettered running, snuffling and making puppy angels as she ecstatically wriggles her back into the snow with all four legs waving in the air. With weather like that, today called for a long morning’s walk along the Mystic River.

As we crossed the road to reach the river, I drank in the scene. Tree branches fringed with snow feathering a dove grey sky. Black rippling water, reflecting the browns and greys and startling white. A pair of swans, then four more swans glided on the water’s in a way I’d never seen before. Their wings were partially unfurled, they were the Swan Boats in the Boston Garden. My heart ached with joy and I laughed. “Six swans a’ swimming!” Where was the seventh to make the carol come true? Seeing sideways, I caught another blur of white. Off to the left was a solitary swan. I had my seven!

I was torn. I wanted to walk the 10 minutes home to get a camera, even turning to head back across the field.

I stopped and I remembered when I lost a breaching whale’s magnificence because I chose the camera’s view finder over the moment before me.

I turned back to the river and the swans.

Suddenly one of the swans stood upright and propelled him (her?) self through the water towards another swan, chasing it away from that patch. Then two other swans began to beat their wings and lifted off the water. Flying low in the sky, they glided to a smooth landing a bit further down.

For some reason, I looked up and spotted my first ever bald eagle soaring overhead. I knew bald eagles nested further down the river, and try as I might; I’d never caught sight of one. Until today.

All around me, signs for this new year were flying, soaring, gliding. Signs that had I turned away from this moment, I would have missed.

I surrendered to being right where I was in all of my senses, with all of my being. I reveled in it with abandon just like Lil revels in the snow. Slowly I walked along the river’s edge, at times walking backwards. The river’s gift to me?

Another pair of swans taking flight and winging around the river’s bend. The sound of their wings making the air thrumb. An eighth swan calling in a raspy trill. A ninth swam swimming towards me from under an arched bridge. Two white sided ducks with black heads (ring-necked duck? greater or lesser scaups?), a heron coursing across the sky.

This walk with its nine swans  a’ swimming, one eagle soaring, two ducks to identify and one heron coursing embodies the theme I’ll carry into the new year—one of soaring, of being in the moment.

How are you imprinting your new year?

Michèle M. Meagher

Your Next Quest

http://www.yournextquest.com