A friend is Janus-faced: he looks to the past and the future. He is the child of all my foregoing hours, the prophet of those to come, and the harbinger of a greater friend. -Ralph Wald Emerson
Janus was one of the most prominent gods in the ancient Roman pantheon. He is the god of doors, beginnings and ends, and transitions. He is depicted as having a face on either side of his head, one looking back at the past, the other forward to the future. Janus is often considered the namesake of January. Near the forum in Rome, there stood a large gate with massive bronze doors. In times of peace they remained closed, but in times of war they were opened so that Janus would protect them.
On the one hand, it almost seems like I should say we ought to keep our doors closed. Peace is a good thing, and we at VASA are not at war with anyone (I hope!). Yet, while closed doors might seem peaceful, they do so by shutting out the world around us. Internally, we end up blocking our primary supports, our community of family, friends, and faith. Externally, cutting ourselves off tends to create animosity with the world around us. Instead, what might peace look like if we dared to keep the door open?
In this new year, as we look back in remembrance, and forward in anticipation, let us try to do so with open doors. Being loving and inviting, caring for others in a selfless way. But, we must also let others in to love and care for us. Looking forward to a bright future is easy, but Janus would agree that you can’t just sit around and wait for it, you must walk through that door.
-Chaplain Paul Hart Cochran
This article was taken from the Villas at Sunny Acres newsletter “Sunny Side Up.”