A Year Later: Remembering, Renewing, Moving Forward
This week marks one year since the Palisades fire—a date many in our community carry not on a calendar, but in their minds and their hearts. For some, it signifies the continuation of a long season of displacement, rebuilding, and waiting. For far too many, it is an ever-present scar: the empty lot where their home once stood, and, among the ashes, the remains of precious mementos that carried even more precious memories. Even for those not directly impacted, the fire altered the landscape of our shared community and left an imprint that has not faded with time.
One year later, the grief is quieter, perhaps, but no less profound. The disruption, the uncertainty, the exhaustion of starting over—these are not things a single year can resolve. Today, we honor that truth, and we hold space for all that remains unfinished.
This moment also finds us at the threshold of a new year. January is often symbolized by Janus, the Roman god with two faces—one looking back, one looking forward. Janus reminds us that transitions are not about forgetting what has been, but about carrying our knowledge of the past wisely as we step into what comes next. The start of the year invites us to look back with compassion and forward with intention. We can remember what was lost, and we can honor what has been rebuilt. Amid the scars left on our landscape, signs of life persist: green returns, new roots take hold, and beauty emerges where we once saw only ash.
Someone recently shared with me that the transition from 2025 to 2026 represents a pivotal moment in the Lunar calendar. We are moving away from the Year of the Snake—a time associated with grief, endings, shedding, and the closing of cycles. 2025 was a year that required us to sit with discomfort, to release what could not be saved, and to live honestly with uncertainty. We now enter the Year of the Horse—a time of movement, new beginnings, alignment, and renewed energy. 2026 invites us to move forward with purpose and power, grounded in truth, carrying what matters while leaving behind what no longer serves us.
May this transition to 2026 remind us that even after loss, renewal is possible. That after endings, new beginnings can take root. And that together, we can step into this new year, not forgetting what we have endured, but carrying it forward with strength, care, and hope.
Warmly,This moment also finds us at the threshold of a new year. January is often symbolized by Janus, the Roman god with two faces—one looking back, one looking forward. Janus reminds us that transitions are not about forgetting what has been, but about carrying our knowledge of the past wisely as we step into what comes next. The start of the year invites us to look back with compassion and forward with intention. We can remember what was lost, and we can honor what has been rebuilt. Amid the scars left on our landscape, signs of life persist: green returns, new roots take hold, and beauty emerges where we once saw only ash.
Someone recently shared with me that the transition from 2025 to 2026 represents a pivotal moment in the Lunar calendar. We are moving away from the Year of the Snake—a time associated with grief, endings, shedding, and the closing of cycles. 2025 was a year that required us to sit with discomfort, to release what could not be saved, and to live honestly with uncertainty. We now enter the Year of the Horse—a time of movement, new beginnings, alignment, and renewed energy. 2026 invites us to move forward with purpose and power, grounded in truth, carrying what matters while leaving behind what no longer serves us.
May this transition to 2026 remind us that even after loss, renewal is possible. That after endings, new beginnings can take root. And that together, we can step into this new year, not forgetting what we have endured, but carrying it forward with strength, care, and hope.
Head of School
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