Here it is-the second week of 2011. For some, 2011 has already been marked with heartache, tragedy, and trial… while for others, 2011 has ushered in joy in the birth of new family members, excitement in marriages, and hope in new jobs or promotions… and another majority may have barely noticed the shifted year, except for the changed calendar on the wall. For me, I’ll readily confess that I belong to the latter majority; 2010 graciously relinquished its reins to 2011. But I can’t fully commit to saying, “I didn’t notice the change in the year” because I did take notice, I did make resolutions, and I did give thanks for the New Year… whatever it may have in store.
January usually dawns with high ambitions for me. Maybe… this year I’ll write the great American novel, or perhaps this small-town, Midwest girl will be discovered by some elite literary group… or for some unbeknownst reason, I rock the literary world with a new voice and perspective. As I said… high ambitions… and within a couple hours, my realistic nature gently yanks me out of the clouds and plants my feet on the ground with a thud. It’s not that my high ambitions are dashed, but the aggressive ambitions are renewed with a dose of reality.
In a sense, January is often seen as the month of renewal. Like me, people claim that this year will be the year to lose weight, gain financial stability, start an effective exercise regimen, eat a more healthy diet, pursue more education, or to find the right balance between work and family. The list is endless. For some, one or more goals will be accomplished, while others will quickly fall to the wayside, left waiting for yet another January renewal. But what does this word renewal mean, and why is it so closely linked to January?
When I was in college, I once received an assignment entitled “expanded definition.” The directions informed me that I was to choose a word and define it in three to four pages. It sounded simple enough, but the final line of the directions read: “Student is allowed to use only ONE version of a dictionary.” My idea of using three or four different dictionaries to define my word gingerly skipped off my pages, leaving me to clothe 3 ½ pages of naked paper. Today, I can’t recall the word I defined, but I remember that the assignment taught me to think about words beyond their printed definition.
The word before me now is renewal… don’t worry I have no plans of filling 3 ½ pages! According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, renewal means “the act or process of renewing: repetition; the quality or state of being renewed; something (such as a subscription) renewed; something used for renewing, specifically: an expenditure that betters existing fixed assets; and the rebuilding of a large area (as of a city) by a public authority.” In essence, the dictionary basically states that renewal means to take something old and give it new life.
The months of each year come and go, but January always marks the beginning… the start… the launch. It provides hope, a sense of renewing purposes. Maybe… 2010 vices can be 2011 victories… 2010 poverty can be 2011 prosperity… or 2010 acquaintances can be 2011 friends. January provides a clean slate for individuals to dare to try something new or to renew past ambitions with greater purpose.
As for me, my high ambitions have been revised and are now called my renewed ambitions. The Great American novel has become 200 words of personal writing each week; the elite literary group has become associating with writers to get ideas and feedback… and as for rocking the literary world, I’ll be content with a small dent!
But for any goals to be accomplished… renewal isn’t just for January… it’s for February, March, April, and so on. For it’s in continual renewal… that true success can be witnessed.
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