May 24 - Gates of Janus

Like many geocachers, I often find my life defined by my "regular life" and then every day after as my "geocaching life".  The time divided between before I knew about the hidden secrets all around me and then after my eyes and mind were open to all the possibilities of the game.  I've faced a number of situations I never imagined I would and have to admit that while some of them might have been daunting at the time, they're now among my most treasured memories.

The ancient Romans revered Janus Geminus (meaning the gate of the two faces), a god-like guardian of time, passages, and new beginnings.  He was depicted as two-faced god who in one aspect would dwell constantly on the past and memories that slowly drained away the happiness of life while the other aspect was a perpetually youthful person constantly living life to the fullest by surrounding oneself with new knowledge and experiences.  Past events and future possibilities perpetually split in a duality of choice.  They built massive memorial gateways to this figure that held doors opened in times of peace and closed in times of troubles.  The gates were both a literal and metaphorical symbol of passages between good and evil, the seen and unseen world, knowledge and ignorance, as well as the past, present, and future of time.  

Janus is a gateway we face everyday in multiple ways.  We choose to dwell on what we've done or we choose to dream and strive toward the future.  I found it fitting that the Romans grouped the past, troubles, ignorance, fading memories, and negatives of all manner together, while the future and all the good it has the potential to bring are on the opposite side of that gateway.  

What are these gates for you?  Afraid to go for that cache that seems a bit difficult or are you excited by the challenge it offers?  Does anxiety make you pause to attend that event and put yourself out there or does that gathering offer the chance for friendships that might last a lifetime?  Geocaching offers a plethora of challenges.  Each one is a test where you have to decide if you are ready to push through.  This coin is a reminder of the treasures to be gained from stepping up and through those gates, overcoming obstacles and facing an unknown future with the potential for greatness that can only be found by moving forward.  You have the keys in hand... will you hang on safely to the past or accept the