bamboo, Golden Gate Park, Canon Digital Rebel
Wishing you all the happiest of New Years! Matt and I are traveling to see my family in Florida for the week and because most of the people there are quite a bit older than us, we figure it will be a mellow sort of New Year. In lieu of a big city bash, we decided to create our own sort of New Year’s ritual. We plan to write down our wishes on pieces of paper, tuck them into an old bottle and throw it into the ocean at midnight. If it washes up in your neck of the woods, you’ll know its ours!
I have also done rituals for the new year that are more about letting go. If you feel drawn to it, here is a simple ritual that I found extremely powerful. It works best in a group of people but can also be done alone.
1. Gather a few dear friends and have everyone make a list of what they want to let go of for the new year.
2. One by one, go around and read your list, then drop it into the fire. Watching it burn is very exciting and satisfying. The fire can be a fireplace or a bonfire or whatever is available to you.
3. Roast some marshmallows and drink some whiskey!
Big blessings to all of you. I am so grateful for you and this amazing community we’ve created together. Thank you for all of your stories, your dreams, and your support and love. I really feel it every day and it is such a gift. What a blessed little refuge of a place this is. Happy New Year superheroes!
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im in florida 🙂
happy new year dear 🙂
I thank you especially Andrea, for providing this refuge.
I wish you all of the blessings and love in the new year.
Thank you,
xo
Deanna
This would be a good idea if you are with close friends, or loved ones. Enjoy your bottle throwing.
Hi!
Portugal calling!
To wish you a Happy New Year!
Guilherme
Hi Andrea – Happy New Year’s to you also. You are so inspirational and honest. I love coming here to read your stories and others. Also I love looking at your pictures. Have fun in the sun in Florida w/ Matt!!
thank you for your gift
of inspiration!
Happy New Year Andrea! May this year bring you everything you hope and wish for!
Have a very Happy New Year —
“Life, like a dome of many-coloured glass, stains the white radiance of eternity.” [P. B. Shelley, Adonais]
You rock….hope your 2005 brings you everything your heart desires and lets you let go of the things that need to be released. I love your site, your words, your photos….thanks for letting me be a part of this special community.
Happy New Year!
carrster
Andrea, I’m wishing you & Matt the happiest of New Years. I love the idea of a “letting go” ritual. I think I may do this…it would be very healing. Thank you too, for this past year of creativity, wisdom, sharing, inspiration, honesty, and loving community that you have created here for me and so many others to find refuge in. You sooo…ROCK!!! Happy 2005! 🙂
Maybe your bottle will be found by a ship full of pirates, and they will break it open and say “yarrrrrr!”. And then the captain will read what’s inside of it, get a little teary, make some gruff manly noises, and start thinking of the things he wishes HE could let go of, and then his whole crew will sit around drinking rum and making lists, and then there will be dozens of letting-go bottles floating the seven seas.
Maybe your bottle will be found by a ship full of pirates, and they will break it open and say “yarrrrrr!”. And then the captain will read what’s inside of it, get a little teary, make some gruff manly noises, and start thinking of the things he wishes HE could let go of, and then his whole crew will sit around drinking rum and making lists, and then there will be dozens of letting-go bottles floating the seven seas.
Maybe your bottle will be found by a ship full of pirates, and they will break it open and say “yarrrrrr!”. And then the captain will read what’s inside of it, get a little teary, make some gruff manly noises, and start thinking of the things he wishes HE could let go of, and then his whole crew will sit around drinking rum and making lists, and then there will be dozens of letting-go bottles floating the seven seas.
Maybe your bottle will be found by a ship full of pirates, and they will break it open and say “yarrrrrr!”. And then the captain will read what’s inside of it, get a little teary, make some gruff manly noises, and start thinking of the things he wishes HE could let go of, and then his whole crew will sit around drinking rum and making lists, and then there will be dozens of letting-go bottles floating the seven seas.
Maybe your bottle will be found by a ship full of pirates, and they will break it open and say “yarrrrrr!”. And then the captain will read what’s inside of it, get a little teary, make some gruff manly noises, and start thinking of the things he wishes HE could let go of, and then his whole crew will sit around drinking rum and making lists, and then there will be dozens of letting-go bottles floating the seven seas.
Maybe your bottle will be found by a ship full of pirates, and they will break it open and say “yarrrrrr!”. And then the captain will read what’s inside of it, get a little teary, make some gruff manly noises, and start thinking of the things he wishes HE could let go of, and then his whole crew will sit around drinking rum and making lists, and then there will be dozens of letting-go bottles floating the seven seas.
Maybe your bottle will be found by a ship full of pirates, and they will break it open and say “yarrrrrr!”. And then the captain will read what’s inside of it, get a little teary, make some gruff manly noises, and start thinking of the things he wishes HE could let go of, and then his whole crew will sit around drinking rum and making lists, and then there will be dozens of letting-go bottles floating the seven seas.
Maybe your bottle will be found by a ship full of pirates, and they will break it open and say “yarrrrrr!”. And then the captain will read what’s inside of it, get a little teary, make some gruff manly noises, and start thinking of the things he wishes HE could let go of, and then his whole crew will sit around drinking rum and making lists, and then there will be dozens of letting-go bottles floating the seven seas.
Maybe your bottle will be found by a ship full of pirates, and they will break it open and say “yarrrrrr!”. And then the captain will read what’s inside of it, get a little teary, make some gruff manly noises, and start thinking of the things he wishes HE could let go of, and then his whole crew will sit around drinking rum and making lists, and then there will be dozens of letting-go bottles floating the seven seas.
Thank you to you for your amazing blog. I’ve been inspired on so many occasions from the things that you’ve shared, whether upbeat or not. I hope 2005 brings you everything good that you wish for.
L x
Great idea about the bonfire! I think I’ll try it! By the way, when was the last time you were in Florida? I live in Orlando, and I’d be interested to hear what you think of the changes that have happened because of the hurricanes. Maybe your area wasn’t affected, I don’t know…I hope not!
Who knows? Maybe your bottle of wishes just might wash up on our sandy shores… 🙂 Best wishes to you and Matt for a wonderful 2005.
Wishing you the best year yet, Andrea!
May you have the happiest, most relaxing New Year’s Andrea – and thank you for your wonderful thoughts and inspiration.
happy new year andrea!
Happy New Year!
Keep flying high, fellow superheroes!
have a very happy new year andrea — thank you for your wonderful wishes and have a lovely time in Florida xxx
Happy New Year Andrea! Thank you for the inspiration! Cheers!
Happy New Year!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! You were a delicious find in 2004 and you continue to blow me away.
🙂
I always like the old ones: Peace on Earth, good will towards men. May the new year bring everyone what they wish for.
was that a reference to YOU on NPR’s This American Life today? About a guy’s fear list zine? creativity explored?
you are famous!
Happy New Year Andrea! Thank you for your inspiring posts in 2004. Here’s to many more.
What a beautiful ritual… thank you for sharing Andrea…
I love the little gems you post here ~ you are a delight!
This year on Christmas Eve, we did a ritual of real joy for the gifts of 2004 ~ we filled a little box covered in stars with bits of papers for each thing we were grateful for.
And I filled three pages…
Then, on New Years Eve, we filled a little box with what we wish for in the new year.
Blessings on your journey dear Andrea,
love and laughter
Leonie
Thanks so much for posting the aid addresses and phone numbers-it keeps my “what I am grateful for” list in perspective! Keep up the good work!
ps your photos rock girlfriend!
Happy New Year Andrea – you are truly an inspiration!