Dr. Karl Jeffries: The power of hope
Many people use the changing of one calendar year to the next as an opportunity to reflect on the year we leave behind, as well as to contemplate what the coming 12 months have in store.
The New Year occurs very soon after the Winter Solstice, so those of us in the northern hemisphere get to look forward to progressively longer days, while anticipating warmer temperatures on the horizon. This period of brighter-days-ahead is a fitting setting for us to start anew, with a clean slate, full of potential, while putting any challenges of the recent past behind us. Various cultures around the world navigate this with their own unique flavor, with a broad array of different traditions that they engage as they welcome a new year. Some examples include wearing white, carrying empty suitcases with beans in your pocket, setting off fireworks, and, of course, watching a ball drop.