“In January, we rest.
January isn’t a new year; it’s the deep middle of winter.
There’s very little light, very little warmth, and not a lot of spare energy to go around.
Yet this is the month we’re sold ‘fresh starts,’ ‘big plans,’ and ‘new year, new me,’ energy.
Wintering is the inward season, when life slows, energy gathers, and nothing is meant to be rushed.
By midlife, the body knows rest isn’t something to apologize for.
So when January arrives, and motivation is low, that’s wintering doing its work.
This month is for going inward, hot tea, early nights, and letting winter be winter.
In January, we rest.”
~ Unknown
anticipation
I identify entirely with today’s quote, and I have always felt our winter break at the University is a week too short. It takes me a good ten days to decompress before I start to enjoy my time away from the office. Of course, I would probably feel differently if I had children who expect the magic of Christmas to appear suddenly. That takes loads of work on the front of the holiday, and faced with that, I’d be ready to go back to work just to get some rest. For me, however, following the 12 days of Christmas would be better, Dec 25 through Jan 6, or “old Christmas.” This year, we’re coming closest to that wish than I remember in past breaks (we return on the 5th). Today, as I count down the days till my return, I received this provocative card inside the really sweet “collect moments, not things” card in the mail from Jen and Jon Reynolds, AKA J². Another reason I’d prefer we rest longer in January: it is my family’s birthday month, Hero notwithstanding with his October birthday. This year feels particularly … I don’t know the exact word – tentative? Less festive, for sure. Recall my high school BFF Kim, who was badly burned just before Christmas? Things have taken a downturn this week as she struggles to survive the burns and, now, pneumonia. My birthday comes next Thursday, and hers falls just four days later on the 12th. We, along with Tim Franklin, born on the 4th, would sometimes celebrate our birthdays together because we were all so close in age. Tim is in good health. I am in good health. I really wanted Kim to be in good health, or at least on the upswing. This is not how I’d hoped we’d move into our golden years. I worry our prayers and the doctor’s good practice won’t be enough to pull her through. I also don’t want to be selfish and wish for myself something she, God, and the universe have worked out differently. I will accept the results come what may, but no matter when she leaves, whether now or 20 years from now, it may make my birthday a little less bright, though it has already made me a lot more grateful. I am definitely reminded that we are not promised anything in this life, let alone time. This year, on my birthday, today, and every day I can muster, I will choose happiness and gratitude. In the meantime, if you could keep praying for my buddy, who’s fighting hard to stick around, I would be thankful.
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