Taking the Long View

In much of the Western world, the new year arrives with urgency. Resolutions are made. Change is framed as dramatic and immediate. There’s pressure to become someone else by February. Maybe March if things don’t work out as planned.

Lunar New Year, which falls between late January and mid-February each year, offers a more patient alternative.

Rather than celebrating speed or transformation, Lunar New Year in many cultures is rooted in continuity. It’s about preparing the ground for what comes next...