Do we really need a new year? And if we could delay or escape it, would we? Of course, no one of sound mind would seriously entertain such questions; they seem absurd because they address something beyond our control. The year is larger than us, something we all inevitably “enter” as it approaches. It comes, unyielding and inescapable.

When I first began my journey in meditation, I was drawn to the simple wisdom of “they do their job, I do my job.” Yet, this clarity faded when special relationships came into play. His job became my job. My responsibility was to set him straight, guide him, and keep him from going astray. It seemed justified, right? After all, I was just helping. What could be wrong with that?