It is traditionally accepted that the month January is named after the Roman god Janus. In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus was the god of beginnings and transitions. He was the god of gates and doorways, passages and ending. Janus is usually depicted as having two faces as he looks to the future and the past.
Tonight we sit on the hinge between the years 2014 and 2015. I find myself feeling a bit nostaligic each new year’s eve. I am not a person who lives with regrets but I do find it helpful to do an inventory of the year just past and to say a prayer of thanksgiving – even for the hard stuff – I experienced through the year. We are formed and shaped by the events of our days and to reflect on what happened and how it effected us is a good spiritual exercise. Sometimes it is diffifult to say thank you for the negative things but they too have their impact on life and often make us a better person.
The internet, papers and magazines these days have lists, lists of events from 2014, lists of people in the news from 2014, lists of top movies, top book titles, top just-about-anything you can think of from the year. Well, here is my list; I want to name the people who won’t make any list. As the new year begins here in my “Top Ten List”; those who often don’t get noticed. These are the people I raise my glass to…
The people who clean the floors in schools and hospitals and all public buildings.
The emergency workers who aren’t home tonight because they are at work, ready to help.
The people who cooked meals for the homeless and those in need through the holiday season.
NGO workers who spend their days in foreign lands in often desperate situations.
Child-care workers who are often underpaid for the important work they do.
Mothers and fathers who give up high ambition to spend more time with their kids.
Family members and care-givers who look after those with dementia.
Farmers who feed and tend their animals daily.
Grandparents around the world who spend their elder years mentoring and caring for their grandchildren.
Those who stand up against injustice despite personal threat.
Who do you think of this New Year’s Eve? As you look forward to the New Year ahead think of those people and events that were part of your 2014 and be thankful.
Happy New Year!
