New Year’s Day: An End and New Beginning
“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.”
― T.S. Eliot
One can only hope that they are wise enough to learn from one’s experiences, both good and bad. As I close the chapter on 2025, I find myself reflecting on a year that taught and reinforced many things. We must stand firm, with a renewed sense of urgency, for democracy, social justice, and free speech, to secure a nation where individuals, the media, and the press don’t have to fear reprisals. We each have the responsibility to ensure these precious rights are secure. Perhaps this past year, we have been waiting for someone to rescue us, but it is time to realize we must rescue ourselves.
We’ve all heard stories about terrible events happening in front of people, where most turn away or do nothing. I’ve never wanted to be one of those individuals who don’t react or don’t care enough. I aspire to develop a mindset that responds positively—with empathy, care, and action as needed. Opportunities to help often appear in small ways, yet they can mean a great deal to those in need.
There were also many good moments and events from last year that I treasure, and I don’t want to lose sight of them. As I enter this new year, I am going to try to embrace positivity and be open to growth and joy. I expect challenges and frustrations to arise, but I want to seek out the good actively. I will focus on finding virtue and wonder in everyday encounters. I will honor my own insights, perspectives, and creativity honestly and to the best of my abilities.
A few days ago, I took my camera and walked back to view the hillside of my fern project and the surrounding areas. At first glance, all I saw was a canvas of brown decay and withered plants. I realized I needed to adjust my perspective, so I attached a long zoom lens and after a few moments of shifting my mindset, I began to appreciate each frost-kissed leaf and withered bloom as poignant reminders of the life cycle in play around us.
Although the once-vibrant colors have faded into muted tones, there is a unique elegance in this subtle shift. The dried leaves and flowers stand out against the crisp air, and the intricate patterns on the bare branches create a striking yet mesmerizing contrast with the gray or crystal-clear blue sky. There is beauty in this stillness, a period of preparation, inviting us to pause and reflect on nature’s resilience as it prepares for the rebirth spring will bring. I’m humbled and realize I can’t truly capture its whole essence in my photos. But trying is an exercise of its own.
I’m sending each a wish for a Happy New Year and all the best in the days and years ahead!
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This is well written and believe many will relate to all of it and the feelings within each of us. Yes, 2025 had its challenges and frustrations but now a new beginning. I too wish to embrace positivity and be open to growth and joy. Yet, there will be days, and yesterday was one of them,when I fail but again I can pick myself up and try again. Hopefully I learned some lesson from the experience. I appreciate your perspective for this image and your perspective on life. I am looking forward to the comoing year!
Thank you, Monte. I hope 2026 will be kind to everyone and that the positives will outweigh the negatives. Take care, my friend!
I really like the color palette in this photo, it feels, Earthy, if that makes any sense.
I can also relate to your remarks. We do need a sense of balance. I’ve been around people that just seem to put blinders on to keep out anything negative which I don’t think is the approach for me. But like the seasons and new cycles, I guess we have to keep in mind that this too will pass. Sometimes I just wish I could hibernate for a while like many animals do. :)
Thanks, Mark, yes, “Earthy” fits quite well. There has been a feeling of helplessness this past year, plus a bit of shock-and-awe at how easily personal rights, social justice and political/judicial safeguards have been ignored or dismantled. Plus, we are back to ground zero on Climate Change/environmental efforts. I think, under these circumstances, it’s not unreasonable to go into survival mode or even want to hibernate for a while. 😧 However, I do believe things will swing back.
Yes, I wonder a lot about the pendulum swings a lot – is it just a normal built-in feature of the society we’ve built or something more permanent ? Riding the pendulum sure does make one nauseous. But if one can step far away in the context of time, does it cause enough upset to trigger a major shift? Is that why progress seems so damn slow because it moves some steps forward, a lot back, some catch up, then just inches forward again? Do we have built in impatience by nature, which has led to some of our progression over other species? Guess I am stuck in my head too much, as you can see! LOL.
“Deep thoughts and questions you have,” said Yoda. LOL
History shows us that political change often occurs in a pendulum-like fashion. I believe this time will be no different, and I hope that the pendulum swings back just as far in the opposite direction. The challenge, however, is that much of what has been built over the years and decades has been dismantled, making it difficult to restore things to their previous state. Yet, this could be a blessing in disguise, offering an opportunity to improve and create a better future. I’ll keep telling myself that, and you are not alone. Luckily, our dreams and hopes originate in our heads and minds.
Earl, that new year unfortunately has already grown more bitter at a speed nobody would have expected.
Still we have to try to keep our equilibrium (but never forget to speak out loud when we have the feeling we could be heard), as nobody wins when we curl up in our frustration.
So let’s hope for the best and try hard to add our strength to a positive development!
Markus, every time I think things can’t get any worse, I’m sadly proven wrong. I shake my head in disbelief at how far we’ve fallen from the principles I once believed this country stood for. We are broken, and I fear it may get worse before it gets better, but it will never be the same again. There is not only ignorance and stupidity at play in the highest levels of our government, but also pure hate and evil. Not that it helps much, but I keep in mind that the majority of our population voted against the orange bafoon, but they worked the system. I feel an inner urge to apologize to the entire world. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. 🙄
Earl, I think I can feel with you: as a person who had decided to take that ultimate risk for his country – defined by it constution – it must be incredibly bitter.
Over many decades, the U.S. were a guiding light in a lot of aspects for us Europeans, certainly not without flaws, but overall a partner we shared many expectations with, we shared a common understanding of values with and we could not imagine to get so much in trouble with its own value set.
What should be most instructive for us is the fact that a democracy can quickly be destructed from the inside. In all too many European coutries, extremist parties, usually right-wing, just wait for this opportunity. And unfortunately, the moderate parties still in power remain restricted in kindergarden-appropriate fights instead of standing together and harnessing constitution and judication against that danger.
I hope we will see better times, but I doubt, too, that this will be soon.