Here we are at the start of another year. People make a big deal out of “new” years, but in truth, when the calendar flips, the day is a lot like the one before, and most likely, a lot like the one after.
But, we time track, we humans.
And the turning of the calendar is one of the main tools in our bag of tricks.
Our calendars are straightforward ways of plotting our timekeeping. Those dig-in-the-dirt archeologists have discovered methods of timekeeping going back all the way to prehistoric times. Neolithic time — which is about 12,000 years ago. That is the time when people started farming, and more formalized communities were formed. So basically, Fred and Wilma needed something on the wall to remind them when the Rubbles were coming over for Brontosaurus Burgers.
The earliest “formalized” calendars date to the Bronze Age, and they came about with the development of writing in the ancient Near East. The Bronze age began around 3000 BC and ended at 1200 BC. The Sumerian calendar was the earliest, followed by the Egyptian and several others.
Today we can thank Pope Gregory XIII for our calendar. The Gregorian Calendar is the checkbox of choice throughout most of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by that beanie-capped guy, Greg. By now, most of us know that the Julian Calendar had been in use for years prior. But it needed some tweaking. The Julian said that a year was 365.25 days. In reality, it takes the big blue ball exactly 365.2425 days to make a lap around the sun. It is pretty good, really, that they figured this out way back in 1582. Someone was watching.
But my point is, this “timekeeping” is just that. Timekeeping. I mean, who decided the first month should be in January? Why didn’t we start the first day of the year on the shortest day, or near to it? Or the longest? Or, why wasn’t May 15 crowned first month, first day?
Then, everyone would be going back to the gyms in the Spring. They’d be starting fad diets right before swimsuit season when it mattered the most to them.
I guess you couldn’t really make the first day on the shortest of the year, the Winter Solstice. That falls right before the holidays, and all those people swearing off alcohol and chocolate would be crap out of luck.
Back to my point. The new year is just another day. I’ve never made a new year’s resolution for this very reason. It isn’t that I’m lazy or that I don’t care about self-improvement. I just think the best day to start something you truly want to do, is the day you are currently on. If it is August 10, more power to you.
It is also a bit of a peeve of mind when I hear people say, “I can’t wait until 2020 is over.” Yes, I agree. It has been an armpit of a year. But the New Year’s magic fairy isn’t going to come out at midnight and wave all the stink away. It isn’t in her job description. She’s merely in charge of gonging the midnight bell. And then she and the tooth fairy meet up after and go out for drinks. They’ve been seeing each other for about 5 months now. It’s sweet.
Anyway. I don’t mean to diminish the holiday either. If you love to party the new year in? Get out the noisemakers and the pointy hats, and have at it! Cheers to you and to all of us too. It is a New Year and a New Day. And I hope it is a great one.
But whatever the day is, make it yours. Fill your heart with love, your soul with kindness, and begin the things that lighten your spirit.
Happy New Year’s To You. Let’s do the flip.
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“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
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“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”
—George Eliot
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“Every moment is a fresh beginning.”
—T.S. Eliot
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The New Year is the day like the day like the day.
