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Turning Points

December 21, 2021 — by Harald 6 Comments

squiggly in halves
I like fresh starts. Unknown adventures. Turning points. And I’ve had my share.

Today is the winter solstice (for us Northern Hemispherians). A time of change. When the light advances. When the seasons turn.

Take a look at the image above. See the two colored halves? Imagine that’s the astronomical calendar divided by the solstices. And see the thin gray line cutting across? That represents the two equinoxes halfway between the solstices. So our experience of the natural world on this planet is divided into quarters. Or cycles, if you like. And each cycle creates an inflection point.

Look again at the image and think of that abstract mesh-y shape like a time tunnel. As we age, we travel with time through these four quarters and halves while we live our lives.

I recently put my own life up to the mirror of this quarterly framework. Here’s what I found:

Taking a guess at my potential life span (using my parents as models and discounting anything unexpected), I discovered some curious things . . .

At exactly the one-quarter mark, I moved to a different continent, a different country (France). My language skills swelled (I communicate in four idioms), and I started on a new creative track that would follow and push me along even after coming back to the U.S.

French residency card
My French residence card. This—and especially the associated work permit—were hard to get!

At the halfway point, after my wife and I survived the Northridge earthquake in Los Angeles, we decided to leave California for parts unknown. Change our lives completely. Move from the city to the country. And we ended up building a house 3,000 miles away on the East Coast. Where new opportunities presented themselves, including the first inklings and notions of a book writing career.

new house
Our new house, complete with 10,000 trees, a beautiful dog, and pink flamingos!

And at the three-quarter turn, I released my first fiction novella about the birth of New York City, which ultimately grew into the saga-length omnibus edition. And which wouldn’t have happened if the prior turning points had not, including my swimming around Manhattan midway between the quarter and the half.

NY Post

1609 covers combo
TOP: After winning the Swim Around Manhattan. BOTTOM: Note that this is the same Manhattan as shown on my book covers just above; only 400+ years later!

Which brings me to the here and now. At another personal turning point. A mini one. Not a big half or a quarter, because, well, time is short, you know? But in this case, I’m about to launch the final book in my Neanderthal time-travel adventure series (within two weeks; the image at top is a hint). And then . . . I’ll be starting a new adventure right away. And you’ll be hearing about it.

Happy Solstice!

Filed Under: HJ post Tagged With: 1609, France, neander, new york, solstice, turning points, winter

P.S. If you haven’t already, Subscribe to Harald's news and updates, and get your free PDF infographic: “Manhattan: Then & Now — 1609-2016.”

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Richard Marks says

    December 21, 2021 at 8:02 pm

    And the journey continues …

    Reply
    • Harald says

      December 21, 2021 at 8:48 pm

      And so it does, my friend. And so it does.

      Reply
  2. Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt says

    December 21, 2021 at 3:00 pm

    Wow – those are memorable feats!

    No sharks around Manhattan – at least not in the water. You must have been very fit. HOpe you still are in great shape.

    Reply
    • Harald says

      December 21, 2021 at 6:03 pm

      Thanks, Alicia. And yes, I’m doing my best to stay fit.

      Reply
  3. Dorothy Krause says

    December 21, 2021 at 12:38 pm

    Thanks for sharing this remarkable journey. I look forward to following future adventures.

    Reply
    • Harald says

      December 21, 2021 at 6:02 pm

      Good to hear from you, Dot! It’s been awhile since that day at the Brooklyn museum, eh? 😉

      Reply

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