Jan. 23, 2016 at 2:01 AM
Holland, Mich.
January is a time of cold weather, gray skies, frequent snow and taking down Christmas decorations. Originally, the month was named for “Janus,” the Roman god with two faces; one looking forward into the future and the other looking backward into the past. While we may be excited about the prospects of a new year, it may also be valuable to reflect on the past.
Though a quirk of social media I recently became acquainted with a young woman who lives in the Philippines. I had posted some observations on the site of a respected author and psychologist, and the next day I received a message from a 23-year-old woman who received her nursing degree at the University of Luzon, but cannot find work and is “doing absolutely nothing” with her life. She wrote: “When you were 23 years old, what exactly were you doing in your life? Did you ever feel lost? How did you know that being a therapist is the one truly for you? Looking back 20 years ago in your life, did you have any regrets? What lessons have you learned in your life that every 20-something should know?”