Happy New Year ~ 2005

Happy New Year to all Readers.
And so as another year passes, another one begins. Who knows what it will bring? Which of us ever knows what will happen in the next moment let alone tomorrow or in a week or month or year.

But there is something special about this time which has been celebrated for more than 4000 years by mankind. At one time the New Year used to be celebrated in spring time after the vernal equinox. Romans used to celebrate the New Year in late March but that did not take into account the sun's movements, for a hundred years or so the calendar was messed around with until Julius Caesar established the Julian calendar that seemed to be fine for 400+ years when the calendar was messed around again. Effectively January 1st was abolished in AD 567 in favour or March again. This was then put back to January 1st around 1582 by Pope Gregory X111 in 1582. And so for many, January 1st marks the New Year.

This is the time of course when we make New Years resolutions, the most common ones are to lose weight, stop smoking or get more exercise. We usually do this pretty well for the first week or two and then ‘issues’ stop us and we then spend most of the year then either ignoring the fact we may need to do these things, or make several attempts again later in the year.

Another tradition is to have a party. This seems to stem back to the believe that our luck for the coming year could be affected by what we did or ate on the first day. It was also believed that the first person to visit you would bring good or bad luck depending on the individual. It was thought that good luck would particularly follow if the first visitor was a tall dark haired man (I am available for bookings for 2006!). The other most notable New Year is the Chinese New Year which is February 9, 2005. This is the first day in the Year of the Rooster. It is Year 4702 by the Chinese calendar.

One thing the New Year does allow us to do, for a short time anyway is to reflect on what 2004 did for us. How was it, difficult, heartbreaking, exciting, and eventful?  Whatever it was for us we are here and now reflecting on it so however enjoyable or painful it was, we managed and coped. We coped and met the challenges, and that in essence is how life is. Life comes with commiseration and celebration, pain and joy, tears and laughter. But we are usually a little wiser, having learned from past mistakes, or missed opportunities. But one thing is for sure, if we can look back and see that we have learned then we can use that learning to help us in the future.

By the time you read this the holidays will be over, we will be back at work, school or college and our usual routines. To all readers I wish you a happy and healthy new year.