“Consider [the forest lake’s] silent economy and tidiness; how th sun comes with his evaporation to sweep the dust from its surface each morning, and a fresh surface is constantly welling up.

-Henry David Thoreau (opening quote)

“Your heart’s strength is measured by how hard it holds on. Your self-worth and faith is measured by finally letting go. However, your peace is measured by how long you don’t look back.”

-Shannon Alder

Day 364 – I guess you could say I’ve been milking the end of this book.  Two days are left in the book and I’m still wondering if I should continue or pick up on Meditations on Intention and Being or some other book.  Truth be told, it really doesn’t matter.    Rolf places this conundrum of beginnings and endings in perspective in today’s reading, writing:  “Caught up in life, I’ve discovered endings, done properly, are excellent beginnings.”  Whether picking up on the momentum of starting a new year or venture sober or just plain new, newness has a quality and feel all its own.  Those of us who are wise enough to return to beginnings reverently, but not competitively,  know that new phases have little to do with accomplishment and all to do with Thoreau’s lake.  If my reflections, i.e., blog posts, were less of a practice of reflection than reflection itself, I might not continue, but I think I still have more to learn and put into everyday life.