XL: HAPPY NEW YEAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR! This is the month of January. The month of JANUS, the two-faced DEITY. One face of Janus RETROSPECTS (looks back into the past) and the other DESCRIES (looks into the future). When we RETROSPECT, we REMINISCE, we RECALL, we REMEMBER. When we DESCRY, we FORESEE. {Do not confuse DESCRY with DECRY, which is to criticize severely.} Just as we need INSIGHT to DISCERN (understand hidden significances), we need FORESIGHT or PRESCIENCE to DESCRY (understand distant things or future developments). Therefore, INSIGHT: DISCERN FORESIGHT: DECRY PRESCIENCE is the knowledge about future, which we need understand future, just as we need ERUDITION (high learning) to understand ESOTERICA (books that are difficult to understand). Hence, PRESCIENCE: FUTURE ERUDITION: ESOTERICA It’s natural for people to be happy when they greet the New Year, as it buries the past and brings up hope. Maybe, that's why we REJOICE so much when the New Year arrives. When we REJOICE, we CELEBRATE, we EXPRESS JOY. Look at an old ANTONYM pair. REJOICE x REPINE When you REPINE, you EXPRESS GRIEF; you feel sorry. The following are the SYNONYMS of REPINE: RUE REGRET Feel REMORSE REGRET can be taken as a noun also. Then REGRET means REMORSE. When our REGRET deepens we have CONTRITION, PENITENCE or REPENTANCE. These last three words are very high in intensity. Hence, REGRET: CONTRITION JOY: ECSTASY Just as CONTRITION is a higher degree of REGRET, ECSTASY is a higher degree of JOY. When we have JOY we CELEBRATE. When CELEBRATION grows, it becomes JUBILEE, just as when a CAMPFIRE grows, it becomes CONFLAGRATION (wild fire). Hence, JUBILEE: CELEBRATION CONFLAGRATION: CAMPFIRE That is all for today, as I’m all set to CELEBRATE the arrival of the NEW YEAR. Once again, HAPPY NEW YEAR.