How long is a new year new?

 

It all started yesterday, when I ended a note with the sameline I've been using since the beginning of this month--"Peace in the new year." As I wrote it I thought, "Does this sound dated? Is it still the new year?" Then today day I read a subject line in my inbox from a business that was promoting work out clothes that said, "Remember January 1?"--As if January 1st was sooo long ago.

People--it's only been just over two weeks! I can't even kick a habit in two short weeks (although I am happy to say that I'm on my 16th day of no diet Coke.) So it got me to thinking, how long is a new year new? In this day and age when time seems to move so quickly, and we all get easily bored, we have the tendency to say "That is SO yesterday!"

If one year represented a person's life and that person lived to be 100 years old, then 2013 is just under 5 years old--not even in real school yet. A five-year old in my book is very young--but would this person be considered new?

Just for fun, I looked up the word new and found 10 definitions. I offer them with a brief commentary for your consideration.

1. Recently made, created or invented
(Since God makes all things new, each day is created anew)
2. Not yet used by anyone else
  (Your life is being written as we speak---no one else is writing it)
3. Replacing existing one
 (Make 2013 qualitatively better than 2012--don't repeat the same mistakes)
4. Recently discovered or noticed
 (I love this one! Try looking at your life through the eyes of someone who knows nothing about you. Everything you see and do is fresh!)
5.With recently acquired status
(Giving a newfound importance to some aspect of your life actually makes it new)
6. Previously unfamiliar
(We know what we've planned for this year--but we don't know what we don't know. There will be surprises in store for us)
7. Unused to something
(Trying new things can make us uncomfortable, we are not used to it. But the discomfort is ultimately worth it)
8.Changed
 (see # 3)
9. Revived or different
(My second favorite definition. At any point in time we can revive our view of life and create a new environment to thrive in!)
10. Early: Appearing early in the season
(This is the time for the "first fruits"--but we can choose the season in which to gather them)

Happily marching forth into this new year!