New Years Eve/ Day

December 31st is an international day of celebration. It’s when the world, no matter the time zone, gathers to bid farewell to one year and welcome in another. A day of reflection of things done well, dreams realized, babies born, people leaving this earth, disappointments, mistakes, broken dreams, disasters – natural or otherwise, tragedies, highs and lows, financial windfalls, marriages, lost jobs, new jobs, weight gain/loss, new homes, broken homes, etc. This day is celebrated with friends, family, strangers, at home, at clubs, outdoors, expensively or on a budget, but make no mistake, even those who are even stuck working, the whole world pauses for the last countdown of the year. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, you get it – you’ve heard it, you’ve most likely done it a few times, too. However, despite the anticipation of saying “goodbye” to the old and “hello” to the new, this day can be as depressing as any major holiday if you’re not with anyone, if the year has been difficult, if dreams have become nightmares or if you’ve lost someone unexpectedly – or even expectedly. A new year is almost like a new baby; it brings ‘hope’. Hope of another chance, new experiences, wisdom (that you bring from the former year) better options, a fresh start and new opportunities. Basically, it comes with the promise of a better life. That’s quite a heavy burden for January 1 to carry. I think I’d rather be December 31st. Which would you choose and why? What have your experiences been? Have the years been good to you or are you, like many others, always hoping that “next year” will be better? Let me know by posting your comments below. Happy New Year!