Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Run Free in 2008

This morning on my way to work, I crossed paths with an escaped horse. She was trotting up the street, riderless, wearing horsie legwarmers and holding up a line of traffic at least 6 cars long. She looked thrilled to be free—enjoying a morning walk without anyone directing her to speed up, slow down, turn right or left.

The twinkle in her big brown eyes made me think about the possibilities for 2008. Maybe this should be the year we all go a little wild. We could all push ourselves to do something crazy and new. Run a marathon. Take salsa lessons. Volunteer for the Democratic Party.

Or maybe just open our mouths and set free our own voices. Say the things we've been too afraid to say. Speak up to the people who hurt us. Tell the people we love how deeply we really feel.

That horse (let's call her Brenda) is a shining example of what we should all be doing: Getting out there and exploring new avenues.

Curious about an international city? Save up and book a trip! Interested in learning to cook Moroccan food? Sign up for a class! Tired of sitting at a desk all day? Apply for a new job that lets you get outside more often!

Each day presents another chance to experience something new. And if we don't nudge open the gate or hop the fence every now and then, we'll miss out. So put on your legwarmers and start trotting! It's a brand new year!

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