New Socks
I was just putting on a present my wife gave me for Christmas -- some socks.
Nothing like it. They just feel so new, and fresh. Happy toes, happy me.
And right before I put on the new ones, I threw out a bunch that had seen their day.
Great to get the new ones, and great to toss out the dogs.
While I was putting ‘em on, I was thinking about how this past week, and the first week of the new year—are always my favorites.
It’s those liminal weeks that seem to stop in time.
A time between letting go of the past year – and walking in the door of a whole new you.
Time that gives us permission to just ‘think about thinking.’
To just stop.
To watch a football game with absolutely no guilt. To read anything we want. To have a chocolate éclair. To sleep in a little later.
On one hand, we’re wonderfully saying goodbye to a season so full of traditions that ground us, and that give us a sense of order and place in it all.
Everything around has been glowing with lights and with song – reminding us of the gift of our town, the treasure of buddies – and the blessing of family in our lives.
The season settles us. Completes us. We look around and it emotionally inventories our lives.
Yet, on the other hand, these ‘tweener’ weeks invite us to dream.
To look ahead. To drift up far into the universe. To reimagine who we wish to be and the possibilities of what we want to explore.
Two opposite forces pushing and pulling us in the same weeks.
One that calms us and mothers us – and the other that humbles and awakens us to the challenge of it all.
And with Monday, January 8th, dreaming’s done.
It’s game time. We jump in the cold pool and we’re in it -- swimming as fast as we can against a big old current.
Here’s what I’d suggest.
If you didn’t get new socks -- get some. Buy just a bunch of ’em.
Any every morning you’re starting to think about how cold it’s going to be jumping in that pool, spend a little extra time just sitting by yourself -- pulling those new comfy socks over your feet.
Give all your toes an extra squeeze—just for fun.
And, in that moment, in that fabulous moment, drift back to those ‘tweener’ weeks.
Where wonder and dreams collide.
.
Yours,
Jimmy Dunne