January Has Arrived!

by Cheryl Merrick

Days short - but getting longer
Temperatures cold - but getting warmer

Frivolous holiday trappings
are carefully, but firmly, put back in their boxes.
Gone are the brightly tinkling lights
and the spicy smell of goodies baking.

Instead of basking in the warm glow
of celebration indulgence,
we squint in the glaring spotlight
of reality.


Instead of enjoying the company of the
"Jolly Old Elf",
we must endure the austere presence
of New Year’s Resolutions.

The weeks of buying what we don’t need
with money we don’t have,
and of eating what we know we shouldn’t;
are over.
It is time to get back to ‘the real world”,
to pay off bills,
and atone for excesses by dieting and exercise.

Yes, January has arrived!