Festivities and Fear

Fun festivities fused with the notion of another year lost…Or gained, depends on who you talk to.

In the western world where keeping track of one’s age so we can “figure them out,” judge how successful they are and whether they are still fertile; means the changing over of the year can take on a whole new meaning.

The change over all comes down to time and how much we still have left whether it be to prove ourselves to ourselves or to our outer circle that apparently care so much about what we do. Or is it just that what we do makes for such good gossip… I guess we will never know.

While the western world is figuring out how to make us all look younger and yearn for that youthful glow, it is no surprise that the value of age and wisdom is devalued. In many ancient cultures they do not even count their years or keep track of such a pointless number. But what they do notice is the years of wisdom gained from the years of learned lessons that develop the human soul to be resilient to take on responsibilities that the young are not yet ready to manoeuvre.

The change of year often doesn’t really mean change it is just the illusion of change that sparks that feeling of excitement to persevere into the new year, which will no doubt be much the same as the last year, unless you change, but that would require some introspective action, and who wants to do that? The idea that the new year will solve all the problems that apparently couldn’t be solved through the year is simply fascinating.

I have never understood why a diet had to wait until the month of January, or quitting an addiction will somehow be easier in the new year. What is so magical about the month January that it has the power to motivate and mend us?

In the meantime, while everyone is busying themselves with Christmas parties and work parties and family functions to help numb the pain of the end nearing, there are those that simply dread this time of year for a whole set of different reasons. January is the month that heals and renews, December is the month that flirts with change. Or, is December just the reminder of broken families and relationships that are still not mended and will no doubt carry over into the new year, that really, is much like the old year, but with a new number attached to it. Approved or disapproved.