Walking Toward Rising Hope: The Sun, Ideas, Possibilities, Fresh Air, & Calm. #IWriteEveryDay @wolsyracuse @cwpfairfield @gerduany

2020 has been pretty memorable for all of us, and sadly we've shaken our heads side to side more than we've shaken it up and down. I also know we're heading to November, and it is unlikely that I will top my favorite two memories of this year: attending the North Texas Teen Book Fest (Holy Cow, Rose Brock is amazing) and working with, meeting, and becoming friends with Ger Duany. It's funny, because I've been reaching out to him since he was in The Good Lie, but never heard back. I guess it takes helping to promote and celebrate a book to get his attention. Ha. Actually, the last prompt for Syracuse's Writing Our Lives week comes from him: What do you walk toward in life and hope for? What rituals do you have that will get you there?

A friend of mine once asked me one time while she sunbathed on the beach reading books, "Why don't you ever sit still? Why are you always on the move?" I did sit still for 30 or so minutes, but then I wanted to run a few miles, and take a walk to look around, and see some more sights. I was born with ants in my pants, I guess.

But she was right. I am always on the move and walking towards something (usually running) and I understand that this is perplexing to a lot of people. A high school/college friend used to always say to me, "You don't know how to relax." It's taking me 48 years of life to realize this, but I do know how to relax and it is with three rituals: (1) walking, (2) running, and (3) writing - I Write Every Day. #IWriteEveryDay

I know some people don't see the three as down-time and calming, but they truly are the moments I'm at peace with myself. During all three rituals, I'm thinking, and in response to Ger's prompt, I know I am walking towards meaning-making and understanding. As a fixer, too, I'm always working towards resolving the issues that perplex me most (i.e., as the world begins to hate more, how can I find ways to bring more love to it?; as more and more people turn their backs to those most in need, what can I do to help them?).

The rituals I have are actually the habits I've created to let my mind do what I intend to do. Walking the dog is inevitable. It's a 3 -5 mile romp to clear my head and for her to make sure every blade of grass is watered in every yard we pass. On the best days (and they are getting harder to find), I also run. I can go anywhere from 2 - 10 miles depending on what my body thinks of itself. The older I get, though, the more it contemplates, "You probably should just walk this one out." My favorite times, and I'm creating more of them, is when I go for a two to three hour hike/walk with the intention of listening to a book. I usually get engrossed in the storytelling, but also think about my own writing, planning, and grant-searching. It's while moving that my brain puts ideas together. Without walking, there is no organizing of the work to be done.

The two photos I've used for this post are also ones I sent Ger when we were going back and forth about ideas, wonders, and curiosities, after his book debuted. He told me he walks 10-20 miles a day while thinking and I snapped a selfie and said, "That's actually what I'm doing right now." 

Today is the WOL Syracuse conference (the online edition) and I believe it is also Halloween. I bought stuff to hand out, but I don't think anyone in CT will be trick-or-treating given the realities of the moment. I probably will be wrong (besides, I'm likely to head out...I have the stupidest costume ever that I can't wait to put together). 

In the mean time, back to the beauty of this world. The sun gives me energy, warmth, growth, and predictability. Without it, I'm lost (even on gray days I know where it is). I will say of 2020, however, that I have new sun to help me to grow, and that is Ger Duany...a brother on this journey of life. Given his perspective, his life story, a Walk Toward the Rising Sun is all there can be.