Saturday, January 2, 2010

Riding The Wheel of Time



Once again, the great wheel of time comes round and we start where we finished.

This New Year's Day, I stood on the beach in Tsawwassen, scanning the water watching for anyone who struggled either in or out of the Polar Bear Swim. A swim in two degree water, four foot chop and a falling tide with heavy winds is one helluva way to ring in the new year.

But what of the tradition behind the swim? Why do so many of us look at the start of a new calendar year and feel the need to cleanse ourselves? To purge ourselves and emerge anew in the face of another ride on the wheel of time?

For me, leaving 365 days of struggle and strife, near-misses and near-victories, mini-failures and total "what-was-I-thinking"'s is a rite of passage. To walk open-eyed into New Year's Day carrying the baggage of the last ride around the sun, would be tantamount to wearing cement ballet shoes to my dance recital. Thus, I walk open-eyed into the water, cleanse and purge myself of the weight of the last ride around the sun, and emerge hopeful for the victories and joys that the next ride has coming.

Time is relative. So are victories and failures.

A happy, prosperous, full of joy, love and goodness New Year to Everyone.

Carpe Annum!

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