Janus's Looking Back Side

We get our word January from the Roman God Janus who had two faces (No jokes, please, ladies.) One looked backwards and the other forwards, just as we all do at this time of year. Already I saw a retrospective on NBC last night about all the great (or thought-to-be-great)personalities we've lost in the year 2008.

I'm looking back a little further tonight. I'm going through all the Christmas photos we've already scanned into the computer and sharing them with you as though you cared, because, as a guy gets older, he begins to think people care about things that matter to him. Strange effect, that, and one which I don't seem to have been able to prevent in the slightest.

I hope to scan all the pictures I've ever taken of my kids into the computer some day. That will be a project of many days and well worth every minute. For now, please let me share with you some of the pictures I DO have scanned into the computer, all of them having to do with Christmas, that most special day of the year, even when it occurs during difficult, sad times. These are my children. Most of you know them. My heart is centred on them and on those who came later.