The first day of a new year arrives, and I take myself on a long, quiet walk.

It’s a tradition I’ve observed for the past 13 years or so, during which time I’ve lived in Los Angeles, New York City and the Bay Area. I have memories of January firsts spent huffing my way up to the wisdom tree in Griffith Park, winding through the Lower East Side, and breathing with the trees in Muir Woods.

This year I walked a long flat trail in Berkeley’s Wildcat Canyon, dodging mud puddles and thinking about impermanence.

Read More