The Gift of January

January — the gift of starting over.
Not all at once.
Not with long lists or heady resolutions,
but one step at a time.

This month invites a pause.
A moment to notice the light
as it arrives quietly, almost unnoticed.
To breathe slowly and steadily.
To resist the urge to look ahead at everything waiting to be done,
or to replay what has already passed.

Instead, let there be gratitude.

I am here, right now.

In this early hour, the scene is simple.
A single tree stands in silhouette
against the gray winter sky.
Strong. Patient. Unrushed.
It does not fight the season it is in.
It waits. It reflects. It rests.
Gathering what it needs
for what will come next.

January asks the same of us.

It is not a month for rushing forward
or demanding clarity.
It is a month for quiet reflection.
For steady breathing.
For trusting that growth can happen
beneath the surface,
even when nothing seems to be moving.

Today, doesn’t need to start loud.
It can begin gently.
With presence.
With patience.
With light slowly finding its way in.

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Today, I simply say to myself:
Allow yourself to rest.
Practice patience.
Be kind to yourself.