New Year's Day 2025

May all hope bear fruit
may our tears be tears of joy
may we live in peace

****************

We take part in our annual Polar Bear plunge in Jacksonport, Wisconsin, one of the longest running plunges in the country.

Diving headfirst into the New Year!

First, there’s a party on the beach. Blankets, towels, beach toys; if it weren’t for the snow on the ground and our breath mingling as clouds you could mistake it for summer.

We laugh, we dance, we do jumping jacks and push-ups up to the final countdown. Then as one, we run into the freezing waters of Lake Michigan!

Why would you do this to yourself, do I hear you say? Why would you deliberately make yourself so cold?

(I admit that each year, just before we go in, I ask myself that very same question. :)

My answer, at least for this year, is that this is how we announce our intentions for the year to come.

This is how we give ourselves a physical experience that serves as the North star for all of our endeavors, creative and otherwise, in this year. It is a recalibration towards facing the task at hand with exuberance.

And, diving into the freezing Lake Michigan water on New Year’s Day provides a timely meditation on the warmth and power of a creative community.

Camaraderie. 
Joy. 

Here’s to diving into 2025.

Whether you’re dipping a toe in or submerging yourself entirely underwater, may this be a year of joy, invigoration, and abundant creativity.

Hope to see you Saturday night for the Haiku Milieu Highlights show!

Love, Jenny