Although technically my tradition's new year begins at Samhain, I always take time to pause and reflect upon the end of the calendar year as well. Marking time is an excellent way to mark one's own progress and transitions, and I always try to take a little time to evaluate where I was this time last year and where I am now and hope that I am better off. For many years, it did not seem to be so. Each "new year" simply brought promises of what *could* be rather than a celebration of what is/was, and while the new year DOES bring many unknown promises of gifts to come/ dreams yet to be realize
