I know you’re not looking forward to this meeting, January, and frankly, neither am I. It’s like we go through the same thing year after year. Am I just talking to myself?!
I gotta be honest here—I am not sad to see you go. You, with your icy winds and hazey sky. You have no sense of humor, and no sense of mercy. If you were a child, you’d be locked up already; the authorities deeply disturbed at your lack of conscience.
I know it isn’t easy for you—who wants to follow December? Everybody loooooves December with her gawby decor, bright lights, and pine-scented goodness. Everybody’s running around trying for world peace and goodwill toward men with December. From an onlooker, I can see where that might get annoying—I get that. But, really, why do you have to be such a beast about it?
Why couldn’t you come out—at the world’s biggest party we throw for you on your very first entrance on the scene—with something truly original? Like a big wad of sunshine to throw out to the crowd, for example, or maybe a rainbow every day. A balmy breeze wouldn’t kill you, and you might just like the way you feel when people walk outside and spend a moment appreciating you.
But instead, you stand there smugly, year after year feeling bad for yourself and punishing everyone else for it. As much as you wish it would make you feel better, I can tell it doesn’t. You aren’t happy, January; you’re not kidding anyone.
I suggest that as you leave tonight, you spend the next eleven months taking a long, hard look at yourself. I know it’s not good to compare, but you could really learn a lesson or two from cheerful May and robust August. People are still talking about them (and in the good way). If you’ll just let your guard down, you might surprise yourself.
So, be gone now. Think about what I’ve said and decide who you really want to be. It’s never too late to change.
January: “Well, I can see why you might feel that way, but I think you are missing my point. What I’m trying to do here is take away all the distractions, I mean Aaall the distractions in your life,… for a month. Just a month. You don’t have to worry about holiday celebrations, week-end trips, staying out too late. It’s kind of like you might remember from girls camp or even more costly retreats when you are asked to go off by yourself and just be still. It’s a stark time, but if you embrace it, you might find it’s a chance to rethink your life and the direction it’s taking, what you might like to change in the months ahead; what you would like to learn or try for the first time. You see, we really could become friends if you just give us a chance.”
speaking as myself – one who has an annual bout with the January blahs – I have to say that even a brief and chaotic trip to the Caribbean did wonders for how I feel about this most dreaded month. Of course, I don’t live in Salt Lake where I hear the inversion is at its peak and for that I, too must scold January. Maybe next year we should all visit January in Australia and see how we feel about him.
Amen. I am so thrilled it is February, with it’s bright pink hearts and lots of love to spread around. Why is it when we know our faults we still can’t let them go and change for the better? Poor January, he’s got it hard, but then again why not rise above the stero type and be more?
Brilliant. Simply brilliant.