New Leaves

Maine 6I’m recently back from coastal Maine where I rounded out my birthday month with a long overdue visit to a dear friend. Tramping through The Pine Tree State in its full glory, picking a path along rock-strewn beaches and through woods where every tree was still suited up in its own “technicolor dream coat” was more than a much needed mini-break. It was a time to rest, reflect and renew.

But then fall is my spring and always has been. For me, the months of September through November are when I throw open not only my windows but also my closet doors, the latter in preparation for purging those things that no longer suit or serve me.

Hope at Pemaquid Point_10-17-14More so than December 31st, fall is also that time of year when I give careful thought to how I want to live my life going forward, including any “new leaves” I want to turn over. And of course for many people, fall truly is the start of the New Year as celebrated in holidays such as Diwali and Rosh Hashanah (literally “head of the year”).

This fall I’m extending my annual ritual beyond the tangible tidying and hiring a Feng Shui consultant. In the course of two days, she’ll guide me through the cleansing/blessing and “feng shuing” of our home. The process, 5-6 hours each day, will of course involve that “dreaded” word–C.H.A.N.G.E.–and lots of it, but it’s a commitment I’m determine to keep. I’ll let you know how it goes. For now…

Hope & Esther_Dock at Damariscotta_10-17-14What are you doing to get ready for a new year?