Most every morning, I read one passage from Daily Doses of Wisdom. Yesterday, I read passage 351 of 365 and thought about how we mark years.

Someone I used to know scoffed at celebrating birthdays. "Why celebrate an orbit around the sun?" As if we need reasons for celebrations.

More and more, I'll take any excuse to celebrate.

In a couple weeks, I'll read passage 365, my New Year's Eve of Wisdom. My Daily Dose year, begun May 13, 2022 on passage 1, will end after a bit more than 365 days.

A year can be anything I choose. 365 days, 365 Daily Doses of Wisdom, or even some other number of something else. Whatever I choose for it to be, it's reason to celebrate.

The thing about finishing an orbit of the sun is that the orbit continues, another year begins. Around June 1, I'll return to Daily Dose #1 just as we return to January 1 each new year. That passage like every first of January will be new and familiar, both at the same time.

If nothing else, that freshness combined with comfortable familiarity is worthy of celebration.

Wherever you are, whenever you're reading this, I say, Happy New Year. Let's pop some champagne, share a warm embrace, and sing in the new beginnings as we continue our path around a star that keeps us warm and lights the way through an otherwise cold and dark universe.