The Janus Mystique

I have always had a grudge about resolutions. Particularly New Year resolutions. Why do we have to make any resolution on New Year’s Day? Which fool or which wise man or woman invented this? Wise because millions of people are following this mindlessly or as a mere sport. For me, resolutions are serious as they are intended to make me better than what I am now. 

Having said this, I can share with you that I too was into this sport for a long time. At the end of the year, there is a thrill inside you. You are eager to forget the past and look forward to the future. That is what January actually means. This month is named after the Roman God Janus who is God for beginnings. If you look at his image, one of his head is facing forward and the other backward.

Well, the month of Janus is always exciting because we need to make new beginnings. You must, however, look back to find mistakes you made, why you could not achieve what you had set to achieve and make fresh amends to your life goals and strategies.

I still recall my earliest resolution: I will stand first in studies this year. I remember making study time tables to get more organized. I remember how I used to wake up early to study and remained awake late in the nights with a flask full of coffee to keep me awake. All this would last for a month or two. By March, I would have injected enough caffeine in my system without any results. Finally, I would forget my resolution and lose my resolve.

Yet, come December, my resolve would strengthen and I would again sit down to draw up new goals for the new year, only to forget them in March. It grew so frustrating that I finally resolved to give up the resolution-making business once and for all. 

I am happy to say that my final resolution proved successful and I decided to follow it every year. Or, have I? Even as I am writing this story a new resolution is born inside me without my knowledge or will. It says that I should resolve to write at least one story every day on Story Mirror; if not for my sake then for all the readers who have read my ramblings thus far and have made me feel good. Many have even started to follow me! 

I feel that I owe this resolution to Story Mirror and the encouraging readers. Let us wait and see what happens in the New Year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR. Enjoy making resolutions. It is a fun sport.