A Brighter 2010!

It's January 6th. Christmas has come and gone. Feast of the Holy Family has come and gone. The New Year has come and gone. Epiphany has come and gone. Unless you are a die hard and celebrate all the way to the Lord's Baptism, it can feel like the season of feasts and celebrations has come to a crashing halt. All you are left with is a pile of boxes and an assortment of dry evergreen needles.

I'm sitting in my office this morning feeling much the same way as I watch yet another round of winter weather blow outside the window. So the question is: How do we get out of this funk?

As Catholics, the liturgical year is somewhat designed to bring us through the different seasons of the year and of life. Advent is meant to be a quiet, but joyful building to a grand celebration. The weeks between Christmas and Lent are an opportunity to reflect on the great joy of the season and re-adjust our expectations of life and society.

So, in our family, every January my husband and I take a few hours away and reflect on the past year. We try hard to reflect mostly on the blessings of the year, but we also try to discuss some of our shortcomings. Once we have had a nice long conversation about the results of the past year, we use those items to identify our goals for the coming year.

These goals are what get me through the valley-lows of January and February. Organizing, planning, and reflecting on these goals get me through to Lent where I am reminded to actually work on those goals. In this way, the dark, quiet, short days of January give me the time I need to talk to God and listen for His plan. In this way, it can be seen as a blessing instead of a burden.

A dear friend of mine recently mentioned that in certain times in her life she feels the need to hit the "pause" button. In her case, she "pauses" until particular medical events have passed because she knows they have the potential to disrupt any other plans she might make. I feel like January is kind of a natural "pause" button in nature and our spiritual lives. It can be a chance to regroup, rebalance, and reprioritize.

Now, I'm a planner so I kind of take the planning as it comes...first family planning, then budget planning, then abstract goals. The prospect excites me. If you are thinking I'm crazy and sitting down to rework your budget or plan our your year of family events doesn't naturally get your motor running, here a few other suggestions for making January a time for "pausing", reflecting and planning.

- Turn off the TV and pick up a classic novel. Reading can often get your mind running about things you'd like to do in your life.

- Move your "spring" cleaning back. Clear out some of the clutter in your living space (or car) and allow a bit more room for your soul to breathe!

- Get some exercise, but not with the goal of weight-loss! Go sledding, snow-shoeing or for an old-fashioned walk. Try to refrain from making this walk a "mall walk". It may be warm, but the marketing messages from the windows will keep you from listening to your soul.

- Head out to a local coffee shop, order a $1.50 black coffee (cream and sugar are optional), and organize your purse, wallet, or coat pockets! You can do this at home, but sometimes a change of scenery is good for focus.

- Make a pot of chili and call a few friends for an impromptu dinner and card party! If you have children at home, have a family game night and serve dinner in the living room! Try to refrain from a movie night as it doesn't allow the same opportunities for conversation!

All of these ideas are great ways to lighten and brighten your January. They are also great ways to get in touch with the needs of your soul and allow some room for God to speak.

And then, before you know it Lent will arrive. Think of it as your "state of the soul" or your "six-week check"...