Janus

The Romans worshiped the god Janus from early days.  The coin shown here is from ca. 250 BC, from the still vibrant Republic.  Janus was perhaps unique to Rome - unlike most of the other members of their pantheon there is no record of a Janus-like god among the Greeks who supplied much of Rome's culture.

Janus was long associated with the new year.  Our calendar inaugurates the year with the month of January, and this tradition dates back to Julius Caesar himself, who commissioned the Julian Calendar which began with that same month.

Janus looks back and forward at the same time.  The New Year's tide is a good occasion to look on our own lives, looking back on the past year and forwards on the new.

This year is going out with a bang for me.  Yesterday the Doctor gave me the results of the cancer test.  They were not what I'd hoped.  While still not conclusive, I've shifted out of the realm of not-entirely-reliable and into the realm of more-likely-than-not.  And a 30% chance of "High Grade" cancer.  Nothing but the finest cancer for Mom's little blogger.

Coming on top of the rest of the year, I shall not shed a tear for the late departing AD 2014.  We'll see how 2015 shapes up.

There's nothing immanent.  Dad got 10 good years after his treatment for this.  But he was 15 years older than I am now when they detected it.  Do I expect another decade?  Hells yes.  Do I expect another 25 years?  Dunno.

This time of year is for reflection on the past, and the future.  Our past is past, and Longfellow was eloquent that the dead past should bury its own dead.  Our future is what we will make of it.  Most of us live our lives locked in by our past choices, repeating year after year with little change.

Maybe I'll get a bigger motorcycle.  If ten years is what I have, then I have places to go.  This journey is perspective.  If you need some, you can't do better than this.  Or this:



May each of you have a joyous and prosperous 2015, beyond all your hopes.