Rachael Field's wonderful poem,

Something told the wild geese

it was time to go

'Though the fields lay golden

something whispered snow.....

has been poking at me all Autumn. If you are unfamiliar with the whole of this poem let me recommend you look it up. The image and sound of a V of geese in the late day sky will never seem the same again.

As many of you know, I spend a lot of time preparing my New Years Resolution. I always make it achievable and I always make it a nutshell of an idea so that I can speak about it, use it in my daily conversation and practice it so that it becomes natural and a kind of mantra by the time another year end rolls around. I'm finishing up with patience and forebearance, a two year tall order and a subject about which I am just beginning to feel the depth. Achievement is relative.

The Field poem has been haunting me because it seems to me geese get more signals about how to 'behave' than we humans. All other animals in fact have better 'manners' than people in terms of how to participate for the good of the group and for themselves. Maybe we've just lost touch with how to make good collective choices ...or maybe we just can't hear the instructions. In general this is true. But given the chance....

Having been witness this year to the group support as it unfolds before me; the fundraising, contributions from friend and neighbour, and neighbour of neighbour, and stranger, there is distinct resemblance to my geese. It has been a strong and wavering V that will swoop and bend to catch up a faltering spirit or coax on a tired member of the team. I so enjoy correspondence that results from the various projects large and small, and each note tells of the satisfaction felt by being part of a collective with a positive goal. Makes me feel less of a subject and more of a participant in a good idea!

Left on our own, many of us, (me!) do things that are not only against the good of the group but distinctly against the individual well being.. holding on to negative ideas about self or others. There's something juicily attractive to embroidering a long festering grudge or a self abrading notion. The results of doing so are ugly and destructive. Medical doctors tell us the reasons why they want us to stop...blood preasure, heart stress. Spiritual doctors tell us it will relieve physical pain, lead to greater simple happiness. I believe them! I do! But what is it I let go? And how? Where do I begin?

As always, I believe that change in behaviour begins with change in language. So this year you'll hear me jimmying the word release into my conversations with you. Or maybe with a few days left to ponder before the New Year it will head in the direction of the word forgiveness, a much more grown up word, one I may not be ready for. And surrender will swim in the periphery.

It is from the generosity of the Sandrassecondwind group that I draw inspiration for my resolution for 2008. Yaking it out here on the page I begin to see that surrender may take precedence for shaping my future...becoming more the person I wish to be...recognizing that by surrendering myself to the larger group I become a stronger individual with less room and no time for negative attachments.

Rather a rambling resolution but mine. What is yours?

Happy New Year and thanks to everyone

Love Sandra

PS I managed to spend 7 days with my family in Niagara Falls over Christmas and they were so impressed with the fundraising and so thankful of all of the creative support from so many directions