| My father died from lung cancer on January | | | | it was time to look up and move ahead. |
| third, 2005. After entering a nursing | | | | |
| facility for rehab, we soon discovered that | | | | But the end of new years now fills me with |
| he had stage four small-cell lung cancer. He | | | | darkness, |
| lived for three and one-half weeks after his | | | | |
| diagnosis.While January third never had any | | | | thoughts of tomorrow now fill me with |
| signficance before, it now holds signficance | | | | dread.January third was once like any other, |
| for me that I would never have imagined.The | | | | |
| words to the poem describe how one often | | | | until the third of this year that is now |
| feels about the anniversary of a person's | | | | past. |
| death.Before this year, for as long as I | | | | |
| recall, | | | | For it was on that dark Monday that you up |
| | | | and left us, |
| January was a good month for me. | | | | |
| | | | a reminder that few things will last.Before |
| Though winter brought snow, and a | | | | this year, for as long as I recall, |
| deep-seated chill, | | | | |
| | | | January was a good month for me. |
| it was the beginning of the end you see.For | | | | |
| January meant winter, and winter means | | | | Now the winter brings snow, and a |
| spring, | | | | deep-seated chill, |
| | | | |
| and spring is the beginning of life, | | | | it is the beginning of the end you see.For |
| | | | January means winter, and winter means |
| The death of the fall season, with its | | | | spring, |
| debris and decay, | | | | |
| | | | but spring now seems so far away. |
| marks the termination of struggle and | | | | |
| strife.January one was the day of beginnings, | | | | But every January third brings back memories |
| | | | of you, |
| hope filled the air all around, | | | | |
| | | | and the pain we all shared on that |
| Even as winter grew deeper, and the days | | | | day.Roland Cavanaugh is on staff at a large |
| grew shorter, | | | | church serving as the Pastor of |
| | | | Congregational Care and Sr. Adults. He has |
| the promise of newness did abound.January | | | | self-published a book about his late father, |
| second denoted new years was past, | | | | "For As Long As I Can. |
| | | | |