Another year...full of potential and possibilities. And here in my corner of Suffolk, after a wild and windy night, punctuated by particularly robust fireworks, the day has been calm and bright with occasional blue skies and birds singing.
So how do we feel on this, the first day of 2023?
The newspapers this weekend have been full of articles about all that we've gone through in the past twelve months - and the films, tv and books we might have missed. They've also got predictions and previews of what might be in store. In many ways, that's exciting (though with towering piles of books still to be read, it can be a little overwhelming to be reminded of how many more great titles will soon be released).
Whether we have a tendency to look back or look forward, there's something to be said for stopping, pausing and being thankful for where we are here and now.
I always delight in starting a clean, crisp and empty diary, but I usually fill a page with an unrealistic to-do list for all I want to get done in the year ahead.
So I was amused to read an article by Tim Dowling in the Guardian where he admitted to doing the same and then spending the subsequent months worrying about not achieving them. This year, he says he'll think about "the things I did actually manage to achieve in the past 12 months and exhibit a bit of gratitude for all the bad outcomes that somehow passed me by in 2022."
I hope we'll all be able to enjoy good health, a home and job, and the love and support of family and friends in this coming year, as well as reading some great books, old and new!
Thank you for reading.