Happy New Year and welcome to a new semester!
I hope your time away from classes and their demands was a good change of pace! I hope you found time to rest and renew your energy, connect with friends and family in ways that remind you why they are important in your life, as well as opportunities to mark the Christmas holiday in meaningful ways. I am not sure I found time for enough rest, but I certainly had a good semester break and a very nice Christmas!
As we start a new year and a new semester, I have been thinking about beginnings and fresh starts. I’m not really one for New Years resolutions but anytime there is a break in my routine or a change in my typical rhythms, I try and consider what patterns I’ve fallen into and think about new patterns I’d prefer to create in my life. It can be helpful to reflect on who I am, who I want to be, and how I want to spend my time and energy and other finite resources. Of course, these are not just thoughts for the start of the calendar year or the semester – each day is its own new beginning.
May this year be one filled with opportunity and possibility for you. May you grow and learn and discover. May you be surrounded by support, guidance, and resources that will help you flourish. May you find comfort and encouragement in the caring presence of God who walks with you through whatever comes. May you find hope in each new beginning.
Peace,
Alicia