Soulfest

Out With The Old, In With The New!

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Salave Mountain, Switzerland 

I was determined to wash away “the old”, just like we do back home, welcoming 2017 with open arms and parade of good will. It is an old practice to run to the beach on the first day of the year, rid off the old baggage and bring good omen in the new year.

Although, we were close to the beach, there were no takers. The enthusiasm by the crew, my peeps there is, wasn’t there. The water was to cold, they muttered as I was the only one with the crazy idea to jump in.  So, I did the best thing closest to it, the pool.

The water was cold, go figure, it is winter after all, 70 °F and approximately 21 °C. I could have waited a little for it to heat up but time wasn’t on my side. I was in the “now or ever” mood. I was thinking North Pole, counting all my toes and rethinking my strategy, if there was ever a good one; there wasn’t. I didn’t care. At this point only Mother Theresa could have talked me out of it if she even dared but would adventure out to calmly say to me, “go ahead my child.”

I was determined, so I decided to go in. I faced it, said my Hail Mary and jumped in. The water was as icy as I expected it. I shivered momentarily, my jaw tensed, my teeth chattered. There was the awful anxiety adrenalin filled sound, not long enough to sway a whale but bang-up enough for everyone to laugh off and why not? Perhaps, the Scandinavians would have chuckled but what is a gathering of friends without a laugh or two especially during the holidays?! 

As my body quickly adjusted to the temperature, the fear quickly gave way to calmness. I stayed long enough to hear my body saying “Amen!” and my brain telling me, “it is all good. You have done it. You can leave now!” It felt great. I did it!

It is a New Year. I plan to do many of the type as time and world permit. Conquer my fears. Plunge in with tooth and nails. Swim with caution. Stop being a slave to my trepidations. Yes, easier said then done but I am ready for the challenge. It is not a resolution but daily affirmations.

Parched Leaves

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When the car breaks down, the world caves in from every direction and you are left at the roadside waiting for the train to go by. You want to scream, fly, run but you fail miserably at the breaks. Not strong enough, they say. So, you keep pushing, waiting for the veil to drop.

You look over and the world is sitting still. The drum is still beating. The circle in your eyes, still puffy. The moon and the stars in formation, winking at you. 

You hear the music but Beethoven it isn’t, so you try to switch to another channel but the symphonic notes still playing the same old tunes. You yell at whoever. You are heard, so you think, responses coming in small packages and yet, you are left wondering about a parachute. You try to spin, flip the page, blow it harder but the recipe is written in stone, No Carbon Copies Allowed. Perhaps, the new pastry chef will add a new dish to the menu but it is not about the cookie dough but the wind, blowing.

Death it isn’t, hell it is but the moutain, although steep, still up for the challange; we are climbing it. Looking straight at the screen below, the music man reads the story on today’s newspaper, outloud. It is dark and storming out the weatherman says but sunshine and bright skies tomorrow.