We made it- through 2025

 

The Marker: Honoring the Rhythm of Another Year

We’ve arrived. Another 365-day cycle is behind us, and we are standing at the threshold of the next.

It’s fascinating to think about how we define "The Beginning." History tells us that the "New Year" hasn't always been a January 1st affair. For centuries, many cultures recognized the start of the year on April 1st, aligning the calendar with the rebirth of spring rather than the dead of winter. Even our measurement of a single day has shifted; once, time was measured from eve to eve—the appearance of the first star marking the transition—rather than the artificial strike of midnight on a digital clock.

But, as interesting as the mechanics of time are, they are secondary to the reality of the moment: We made it.

More Than Just a Date

Whether you follow the Gregorian calendar, the lunar cycle, or your own personal seasonal rhythm, making it to a "year marker" is a feat of endurance. A year is a long time to carry hope, navigate grief, celebrate wins, and manage the mundane.

When we mark the end of a year, we aren't just celebrating a number on a page. We are celebrating:

• Resilience: The quiet strength it took to get through the months that felt uphill.

• Growth: The lessons learned (often the hard way) that have reshaped how we see the world.

• Presence: The simple, profound fact that we are here, breathing, and ready for what’s next.

Looking Back to Move Forward

There is a unique power in the "eve." Just as the old traditions saw the evening as the start of the day, we can see the end of this year as the fertile ground for the next. The darkness of the "eve" isn't an end; it’s the quiet preparation before the light breaks.

Regardless of when the "true" new year begins—be it April, January, or your own birthday—take a moment to acknowledge the distance you’ve traveled. You are not the same person who stood at the last marker.

A Toast to the Journey

So, here is to the completion of another cycle. Here is to the nights that turned into mornings and the seasons that bled into one another until we found ourselves right here.

We don't need a perfect calendar to validate our progress. The marker exists because we are here to witness it.