I notice off 'n a sudden. . .lol. . .that the year 2009 is almost over! Revelers for New Year's here most likely will encounter snow and rain on the Eve and rain on January 1st. at least here at Provincetown. . . .
When I was in high school in American literature we read some of the writings of Henry David Thoreau who, by the way, lived near Provincetown. He loved especially a section of the Cape on the ocean side of this crooked peninsula called Race Point. It is the point in the USA closest distance-wise to Europe.
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So I began to go there and "stand and turn my back on the whole United States and look out into the vast Atlantic" and think my own thoughts and feel my own feelings.
I started going there, too, some time on New Year's Day to do what I heard somewhere was a practice of the Native Americans of Yesteryear. I prepare a paper on which I list the things I did in the past year that I was not happy about. Then I list the things I am going to do so as not repeat the same this New Year 2010.
Usually I read these aloud into the wind. . . on rare occasion is any one else there on that cold windy beach. Then I take my paper to water edge and soak it in the water. Then I carefully wrap my paper around a previously selected rock, and hold it in place by wrapping the paper-rock with seaweed.
Then I heave my rock into the sea.. . . ritualistically absolving the past and resolving the future. Ritual and symbol are important to the inner, the spirit part of a human.
I wish you all the clean blessings of a New Year 2010
love,
Justin O'Shea
1 comment:
The only New Year resolution I ever made that I've managed to stick to for many years is the one where I promised myself I would never make another New Year resolution.
I love that photo, btw... love the sky and the whispy clouds, and gentle shadows on the sand. Very nice indeed.
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