A New Year
Letter XII ~ Winter
Dear Yggdrasil,
The new year is upon us, a fresh breath of renewal in every branch and leaf. This year I decided to sleep through it, as you do! I think this is progress. Of course, there are those who like to party and that works for their kind, but I am perhaps more like you, and benefit from the quiet and depth sleep can bring.
I was considering what your new year’s resolutions are likely to be. A greater harvest of beechnuts perhaps, or especially vivid green leaves in early spring. Or just to repeat the cycle of another year, adding another ring and becoming even more yourself. The older I get, the closer I come to realizing that this should be my true goal. Achievements may bring superficial pleasure, but only in knowing myself and the world around me more deeply, do I find true fulfilment.
I need to slow down, and yet as I do, I berate myself for my lack of progress. Attachment to outcomes has only ever prevented me from finding deeper meaning in my work and discovering new truths through it. When I come to visit you, I have no outcome in mind; it is just a chance to be together. I find the same to be true when spending time with my loved ones. Perhaps, then, the most rewarding moments are the ones where we are just present, whether alone or with each other.
I will not make this my resolution, but will think on it. I hope you slept well into 2026 and wish you the deepest, most beautiful year yet.