It’s December again. Though the month is already more than half gone. Time flies, fast. The last month of the current year is slipping away. Not that it’s a problem. But it leaves a bittersweet taste. Why?
Because a year full of ups and downs is ending and we will step into a new year soon.
An year full of surprises
I don’t know how your year was, but mine was full of surprises, ups and downs. I still can’t believe all of that happened within a year. Sounds strange, right. But that’s how it has been.
It was a time full of struggle, new experiences and new beginnings.
December, I believe, is layered. For some, it brings hope, happiness, joy and compassion. But for others it’s the symbol of loneliness, distractions and a time full of unanswered questions. A time when you can be full of hope for the future or full of uncertainties about what might happen next.
Yet both experiences are valid.
A month with dual nature
What makes December a unique month is its dual nature. It’s a month that symbolizes the ending as well as reminds us of the beginning.
Ending of a chapter and the beginning of a new one. So, it's not just an ending but also a threshold. At this point in time, we don’t just wish for a better year, but prepare for one , armed with all the lessons learned from the current year.
A month of reflection
Unlike other months, December invites reflection. Reflection on the decisions we made, the people we met , the events we attended or missed, the family we got or left , the friends we got along with , the jobs we got or left and the progress we made as a person so far.
We replay the moments we once rushed through, the chances we took and the chances we let slip. So the thing is, the year is not defined by our achievements but the growth we made as a person, our endurance and the chaos we survived so far.
A month that brings honesty
There is a strange honesty to December or is it just me?
All the pretences fall away. The constant pressure to do more softens and we simply accept what is unfinished. We realize that it’s fine.
It’s ok to take a breath.
It’s ok to take a break.
It’s ok to take it easy.
We simply accept it all as is. Which I believe is a part of personal growth. If we know our limits. If we know where we need to stop and when that means we learned from our previous experiences.
A natural full stop
By the time December begins, the year has already spoken, successes have already happened , failures have taught their lessons and the time has already passed without caring for anyone’s permission.
December does not rush us forward, it demands of us to look back. Look back and see how far we have walked, how ahead we are from where we started. It doesn't mean we compare ourselves with the achievements and goals of others, our peers or even ourselves . It simply means we should Pat our own shoulder and say
“You did well. It must have been hard. But it’s okay.
You did great despite everything you have been through”.
Even if it looks strange, appreciate yourself. Appreciate what you gained and let go of what you lost. Because, not now, but someday you will realize, what happened was the best.
Not the time of ending, but a new beginning.
At this time of year we are reminded that time is not what we control but it’s something that we experience. We are not what we achieved but what we became along the way. The current year is something that shaped us.
So December stands there, calm , reflective and honest, asking only one thing of us:
To acknowledge the year for what it truly was and step forward with clarity not regret.
