The name of the first month of the year comes from the Roman god of doorways, Janus, who is traditionally depicted with two faces, looking back and looking forward. It maybe a cliché but the phrase, ‘when one door shuts another opens’, is so true, especially if we wait patiently for that door to spring wide and then step resolutely through! It is more than finding the silver lining inside the gloomy cloud, it is more active than that; firmly shut the door on what has happened (even if it seems as if the door slammed of its own accord) and then look in unexpected places for the next door to dance through.
The Saxon name for January is Wulf-monath, wolf month… and doesn’t the name just conjure those long, grim wild creatures sloping off through the snowy forests in search of prey. It may be a lean time, but wolves are bright-eyed and strong, and fearless.
Lois Elsden 
Are those the wolves from the University of Surrey grounds?
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Yes they are! My daughter and I visited there a year ago when she was wondering whether to go… I thought they were wonderful!
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It really is such a beautiful campus! I studied there and I absolutely LOVED it 🙂
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It is beautiful, unfortunately the course wasn’t quite what my daughter wanted to she is in Ulster now and loving that!
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Very interesting, didn’t know that, thanks. And love the sculptures!
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