"New year, new start"

This seems to be a uniquely human thing, that somehow 1st January means that everything that ever happened before no longer matters, and people start looking towards what a wonderful year they could have.

Now then, the problem with this seems to be that people thunk they can simply forget about the past and move on. It's very rare that people sit down and reflect on what happened, how and why it happened, and how they dealt with it...and if they actually did deal with it. You cannot simply forget, your mind does not simply forget, and it will catch up with you eventually. For some dealing with things means getting completely drunk, but alas this is aim of forgetting, and is not dealing with something. It is important to tackle and ride out any problems that arise, no matter how difficult it may be, for there will be a light at the end of the tunnel, and you will be released from it's grip.

SO it's the new year, it will be the same as the last. It will have it's ups, and it's downs. But as we're human we'll probably only ever look at the bad bits. Try writing a list of just the good things that happened last year...or across your whole entire life, and keep them close to your heart as a kind of pick-you-up. Something that will bring you light in the dark times. But please don't go thinking that everything is going to be brilliant.

I work with a suspicion that the way you begin your New Year gives you an indication as to what it will bring. Well at midnight I was home alone crying. And I'd probably not felt that alone...EVER!! The only company I did have was two dogs. One was a vibrating pillow, scared of the fireworks that suddenly blasted into action. The other was sat on a windowsill upstairs happily watching them...If this is how my year will pan out...so be it. It's also an odd year, not only is it an odd year, but the last number is a multiple of three...I have suspicions about threes and about odd years.

Anyway happy new year!!