Runnin' the Tank Out

Today we're enjoying the first significant--for Louisville--snowfall of the winter. A perfect excuse to share this delightful image from a Christmas card that I received from B. The message inside ". . .to my favorite free spirit."

Now it's wonderful to be thought of as a free spirit and, until recently, I saw myself as a person who looked for new adventures and took full advantage of all that life had to offer. The motto was "decide, plunge ahead, and never look back." As a result of this attitude I've had many exciting and challenging experiences in many great places. Sadly, I can't claim that same free spirit and zest for life in 2009.

As 2009 wound down there were all the discussions of significant events and "best of" lists for the year. The Courier-Journal printed a very clever collage of events for Kentuckiana--from Obama's presidency to the firing of U of L's football coach. I decided to collage Faye's 2009 and stalled out in March. In January I survived--at times thrived--for five days without power during an ice and snow storm that crippled the state. In March I completed a five state Volksport walk--averaging 10-12 km per day--with cousin M and friend S. The significant events ended there. For the remainder of my accomplishments, I read almost 40 memorable books and saw about the same number of movies. I walked Willie every day and kept him happy and well-balanced. I did monthly volunteer work. Every week I handled care giving issues for my older sister. I mowed grass in the spring and summer and raked leaves in the fall. I watched too much reality TV and NCIS re-runs. I joined the Postcrossings Project and now enjoy exchanging postcards with people all over the world. And I've blogged steadily for the year--an unusual follow through effort for me. It has been a pleasure sharing 2009 with you, dear readers.

So, how does all this free spiriting and tracking relate to "runnin' the tank out" ? The last week of December I watched the Kennedy Center Honors, as I'm sure many of you did. Of all the tributes for the honorees, Jon Stewart's description of Bruce Springsteen's, everyman's musician, life and work made me realize that 2009 had not been a year that I lived to it's fullest. He spoke of Bruce's working class beginnings, his drive and commitment to his music, his fans and his beliefs. He said that after all these years The Boss was a man who always "ran the tank out." And I thought: "Yes! That's what I'm missing and what I intend to recapture in 2010."

So, I'm not exactly sure what 2010 will bring. And I don't have to know the year's layout. Like The Boss, the important thing to do, regardless of what's in store, is to "run the tank out." None of us can afford to live any other way.