happy new year. again.

(I'm writing this at 30,000' again, on an overnight trip to New York City.  It seems like the only time I have to write lately is when I'm stuck in a pressurized metal tube unreasonably high above the earth -- but I'm not complaining.  Forced concentration time for the win.)

A couple of nights ago, I walked out of my house right around sunset -- I'd been staring at a screen all day, and I was starting to feel uptight and even a little trapped.  So i went outside to get some fresh air, like I often do around sunset.  Except this time, I noticed that one of our trees, which has been barren for months, is starting to grow tiny shoots.

It reminded me of my friend Gayla, who is a gardener -- in fact, she has a huge online community and she's written books about it -- and a few years ago, instead of sending out holiday cards, she would send her friends a packet of seeds at the beginning of spring.  For her, spring was the start of a new year, and it's sort of easy to see why.  And honestly, this year, I think because I was writing my book at such a breakneck speed at the end of 2016, i didn't really have time to savor the winding down of one year, and the beginning of another.  It's only now, 8 weeks in, that I'm starting to get my bearings, and really think about what I want 2017 to be.  Honestly, so far, so good -- but I'm getting a bit of clarity of how I"m going to shape it.

Better late than never, I suppose.

And so, friends, "happy new year."  I hope that you've settled into 2017 well, and any clouds are beginning to lift.  

Spring is on its way.