In the midst of all the things hanging on the wall in my office, there is a framed cartoon. It’s the final cartoon from the old “Calvin & Hobbs” series, you remember, the cartoons about the boy Calvin and his imaginary tiger Hobbs. In the cartoon, Calvin and Hobbs stand at the top of a hill overlooking a slope covered with new snow. Calvin says he loves a new snowfall, the clean slate, the limitless possibilities. In the final frame, Hobbs grabs a sled, grabs Calvin, and shouts “Let’s go exploring!” as they rocket down the mountainside.
That’s how I feel about January. The thing I’ve always liked the most about January is the feeling of a new beginning. The old year is past and the new year has begun. A clean slate, limitless possibilities. This year, we've all set ambitious goals for ourselves and we’ll be tested in our abilities to reach those goals. We’ll have fun, we’ll be stressed; excitement and boredom; good days and bad. But, at this point in the year, the possibilities seem endless.
And remember what writer Francis Bacon once said: “A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.” So, as my old friend Hobbs said, “Let’s go exploring!”
