Auld Lang Syne

The song we hear at this time of year. What is Auld Lang Syne? In standard English, according to Wikipedia, "Auld lang syne" can be translated as "old long since" or less literally "long long ago," "days gone by" or "times long past." You get the idea.

Time. What is time? Time is a frequent topic of conversation among my various groups of friends and spiritual companions. In Sunrise Circle last month, during our journey I received a vision and information about the passing of time as wheels on a train, but moving at different speeds, one slow and constant, one faster and more changeable. Just a couple short hours later I received a text that my doggy, my constant companion and great love in this world, was doing poorly. We had him for just one more week, and then he was gone- from this world- but not forever, not permanently, and not without being approachable in other realms.

A month that had begun with a new job, a brilliant opera - The Hours... interesting... Live in HD at the Met, Christmas plans including visits from two dear friends- suddenly became hours and days and weeks of darkness as I said good-bye to my dear social butterfly happy go lucky girl's best friend, and then stumbled to the threshold, thrust my arm into the void, and watched it disappear in the blackness.

"Back in the day" (long long ago?) I would have jumped at that moment into the something new. But I just perched on that threshold, teetering. And am still there.

This is not just a monologue about my sadness in the past little while, but an invitation for us all as we step into a new year, to pause and take stock of where we are in space and time, with every one of our senses. The wisdom that comes with age need not paralyze. I do not have to leap with abandon, but I can step with poise and grace and purpose. It may take a little while, but every day, every hour, every minute offers the opportunity to move, or stand still, in beauty.

Here is a poem for the old year and the new, which came to me as I contemplated my last hours with my great friend:

The World collapses

and opens up.

Breathes.

One out

and another in.

As we sigh the last breath

of good-bye and a name,

a window opens

and fresh air

blows in.

Many blessings in the new year.