Endings and beginnings are tough to navigate gracefully. Even the ones that are cause for celebration tend to taste a little bittersweet. Hellos are often the flip side of goodbyes, and to pass through a door to something new means leaving behind where you were before, for better or worse. Each is a milestone that marks a new phase of your life.
Some milestones are personal – weddings, graduations, birthdays – the ones that are a big deal to you and those closest to you, but not to the wider world. Others are shared cultural moments, and our celebration of the New Year falls into that category. On the one hand, it can be as significant or insignificant as you make it. It is just a date on the calendar, after all, and cultures around the world celebrate the New Year on many different dates, but it is hard to avoid the feeling that the day is important. There’s an expectation tied to the New Year. It is an opportunity to start fresh, to try something new, or to let go of something that you don’t need any more.
Mind you, New Year’s resolutions can be a drag, and too often focus on the things we don’t like about ourselves. If I must make one, I much prefer thinking of ways I can stretch myself by making goals I’m excited about for the new year. I’ve heard about people making goals like sending one postcard a month, going for regular walks with friends, or working their way through an entire cookbook. A colleague here at the library showed me their 2025 Goals bingo card the other day, full of things they wanted to do, some of which they had accomplished this year, some that might roll over onto the card for 2026.
But whatever else the New Year is good for, whether you make a resolution, whether you celebrate at a party with a hundred other people or on your own with your jammies and a favorite movie, it is an opportunity to stop, however briefly, and take stock. What happened in 2025 that you are proud of? What would you do differently if you could go back in time? And what do you hope for the year to come?
If you need a hand with your stock-taking, we have some books here at the library about goal setting, growth, and dreaming big. We also have books about learning almost any skill, from cooking to carpentry to stargazing. We have books on journaling and how to tell your own story. If you don’t find what you’re looking for on the shelves, ask our staff and they’ll be happy to help.
And as the year winds down, just in time for a new one to begin, let’s all take a moment to raise a glass of whatever we like best to what we loved in 2025 and what we’re glad to say goodbye to. While we’re at it, let’s raise another to welcome in our hopes for 2026. Let’s use this milestone moment to greet the new year. May your hardships be few, and your joys be bountiful. And let us know if you need help chasing your dreams. We have some books about that at the library.