Leaving a bit behind (Wellington, New Zealand)

On my first day back in Wellington, the cashier at the Island Bay New World said IT -- the city's signature phrase:  "You can't beat Wellington on a good day."

My thought:  "You can't beat Wellington on any day."

As the plane began its descent that morning, I felt a wave of relief and appreciation.  It felt like coming home.  And, that felt good.

It was just the right start to Anna's Greatest Hits Tour.  I liked the trip being bookend-ed by homes.  I liked starting off by regrouping in a place without sites to see or things to tick off the list.  I liked the familiarity and the way so many corners and cafes spoke to me of memories from potentially the greatest chapter of my life.  And, I really, really, really liked being in the company of such great friends.

Too much gushing?  It serves a purpose - setting the context.  All of this sentimentality, nostalgia, and beauty made for the perfect backdrop for a symbolic, bold act.

You already know where this is going.  I cut off my dreads!

This felt like a huge deal for me, which explains why it took me over a year to work up the courage and vague sense of certainty to make it happen.  The dreads were the one long-term commitment I had made over the last seven years (...though it was sort of an accidental commitment).  Over a time in my life that has been so transient and changing, the dreads were one of few things that were constant.  They knew all about the hard and the good and the love and the loss over my adulthood.  They had come to feel like an extension of my personality.  I loved carrying all of that around on my silly little head, but it was becoming a bit heavy (figuratively and literally), and it seemed I had some letting go to do.

So, I gathered three of the world's great women, and I asked them to embrace my New Age tendencies for an Anna designed de-dreading ceremony.  We set up a station on the deck of the famous Freeling Street flat, looking out at Island Bay as dusk approached.

Lovely Island Bay

 The Lovely Ladies (minus Anna Costley who was on paparazzi duty)

Before we began, I gave a brief speech and we discussed the significance of seven year cycles.

Then, I cut the first dread!

WOAH!

Nicole cut the rest.

Skillz.

I had prepared a list of memories/events/emotions I wanted to honor from my dreadlocked days and a list of thoughts/feelings of which I wanted to let go, adding up to a total of approximately 58 points (one for each dread).  As we proceeded, I read my list.    

Joe Blossom provided the soundtrack with the sounds of their band practice drifting from the garage.  They came to check out what was going on at the very end of the cutting, curious about what the screaming and laughing and crying was all about.

Get in there, Phill!

Eli did a bit of serenading as well, including a beautiful waiata.

When it was finished, they brought out a mirror.  I looked at my reflection, Anna's gran, Nicole's smile, and beautiful Island Bay and said, "TAKE IT ALL OFF!"

And, so they did.

The next obvious question:  what did I do with them?  I set aside 10 of my favorites to keep (or ???).  I burned one (as well as the 'let go list').  I buried the rest -- half under a tree in the town belt with a beautiful view of the city (from a vantage point that I could imagine seeing just about every significant location of my Wellington world) and half in the back garden of the Thompson Street house (where I had lived and where a few dear friends still reside).   It felt really right to leave a bit of me behind in Wellington.

Now, I feel free and truly ready for a new chapter.