Worst day of the year

Depending on the speed and efficiency of our award-winning Chicago Star editorial team, by the time you read this, you will have already survived the toughest day of the entire calendar year.

But don’t celebrate just yet. The tough times are just beginning.

Call it “Black Tuesday.” Or, “The dreaded day after.  Possibly “the beginning of the end,” or maybe best yet simply, “Doomsday.”

The first day back at work after all the holiday libations.  Back to the grind, after all the celebrations, the festivities, the gift buying, the gift opening, the tree decorating, the lights, the family gatherings, the food, the drinks, and all the “Happy New Year!” sentiments that have come and gone.

Now? It is time to hunker down.  Back to work. Back to routine with the known drudgery of the long, cold, dark winter days ahead staring us straight in the face.

No doubt, it can be a tough time for many of us. But hang in there, everybody. Together, we can get through it.

Keep in touch with friends, family, neighbors, and work cohorts (the working-from-home syndrome can even add to the loneliness), and get involved in some outside work activities.  These can help.

By all means, if the loneliness of the long, cold winter is starting to really depress you, don’t hesitate to seek help.  Churches, community centers, and the Department of Health and Human Services are but a few of the outlets available to find help.

If all else fails, we here at The Chicago Star will do our best to keep you “up” and spirit through the long days of winter ahead with some hopefully upbeat and inspiring stories.

Think of us, as singer James Taylor sang in verse — “You’ve got a friend.”

We can get through this tough time of year.  One step at a time, one day at a time. Baby steps if you must.