“Back to square one.”

That’s what came up this morning as my daily free-writing topic; and it seems oddly appropriate, given the new year that is now upon us.

The idea of going back to the beginning and starting anew is pervasive on this day moreso than any other time of the year. We clean as part of a physical manifestation of starting “fresh.” So many of us commit to a workout routine that fades faster than a mid-December sunset. At this time of year, folks have returned from the place in which they grew up — coming back from that literal location of “square one.”

I’m confused as to why this idiom is used so affectionately. It suggests that, somewhere or in some way, we have gone astray; and the only way to restore what was good and “pure” is to return to “square one.”

Thus, I’d like to modify that phrase, “back to square one.” I want to progress; to move forward, keeping in mind the origin, be it physical (a house, per se) or intangible (a concept, such as honesty). The fact is, “square one” is just that: the beginning. To me, it’s neither the beginning nor the end, but the means which are the most interesting and important part of the whole journey. So much so that I have no plans to return to “square one,” but to press ahead and trust the process at work.