January has a flavor all its own, and I confess to rather liking the possibility of shaping it.

The 12 days of Christmas are not quite complete as well all emerge from December, a bit groggy from the holiday festivities. By now, we have deep sixed the old calendars, stowed the Christmas decor for another year, regretfully tossed the last of the Christmas cards, and are now ready for -- what?

It is that uncertainty that I rather appreciate about this month. There is a tentativeness to January: the need to remember to update the year as we write, the integrating of the Christmas acquisitions into one's life, the strangeness of even the weather.

The zeal about those resolutions is fading already. Whatever was I thinking when I resolved to do whatever it was I once thought was possible?

I would like to suggest that we not surrender to the January blahs but that we stimulate this feeble tiptoeing into a new year with a firm little dose of kindness. Give that clerk in the store, still reeling from the holiday frenzy an extra thank you. Step aside as the aggressive subway commuter threatens to treat you as if the Pamplona bull run has arrived. Recognize a coworker with a heartfelt greeting.

If we start with one kind word or deed each day, we might find that January does have a different form. It need not be just that in-between month, but rather the beginning of a very different new year. After all, since we will not have it again, let's treat it kindly.

There might be reciprocal benefits.