January 1st, 2nd.....

The first month of the new year and the second month of winter. I researched what is significant about the month of January. It was named for the Roman god Janus, a mythological god (not the true God), known as the protector of gates and doorways and who symbolized beginnings and endings. In Greek mythology Janus is depicted with two faces, one looking into the past, the other with the ability to see into the future.

Wow, this resonated with me, because I could see myself being represented that same way...always looking back into the past on the one hand while looking forward on the other hand. January is sentimental for me because I'm always feeling "some kind of way" about leaving behind the year before and coming to grips that I'll never live in it again. Sort of like closing the gate or doorway behind me as I step into a new, unknown, untravelled year while carrying the baggage and the memories of the year before with me.

For me, January is also a month of firsts! Everything I do in January marks the first time I've done that 'thing' in the new year. It's a time of transition as we move away from December. In some ways I could look at January as a time to renew, refresh, retry, reinvent, recommit, recharge, redo, remodel, repeat, etc. As I think about it, I can say January is a perfect time for new beginnings and do overs. That's a good thing, right? I think so!

How do you 'see' the month of January? Is it easy to say goodbye to 2022? Are you willing to share your thoughts about January and how stepping ahead into 2023 perhaps behind a loss of a loved one, a job, or a friendship has affected you? This is a safe, nonjudgmental community space for healing and we'd love to hear from you!