In which Our Hero ends one thing and starts another
I used to celebrate New Year’s. I still do, but I used to, too.
I used to celebrate with friends and video games and shenanigans and chicanery. But the host of that party died a few years ago. And I don’t live in that city anymore.
Now, I celebrate with non-alcoholic cocktails and card games with friends.
I jumped into the new year — off a couch at 11:59:59 and onto the floor at 12:00:00 — just like I did as a kid.
Ritual matters. Arbitrary ritual matters. It’s also arbitrary. It still matters.
Celebrating the end of one thing and the beginning of something new. Doing so at some approximately-reasonable interval.
I often think about the idea that somewhere someone is having the best day of their life. That applies even more to years. Somewhere, many someones just concluded the best year of their life. And many other someones are entering the best year of theirs.
The same is also true of the worst years.
There’s no point to this musing, but it makes me feel more centered. More relaxed. Less grabbing or pushing.
It makes the days more enjoyable. And that’s perhaps the whole point.
🤡
Julian Wise 