When I was young, I used to wonder why people celebrated New Years. I remember remarking to my mother that people shouldn't be celebrating, because they were all one year closer to their death. That was true, she said, and just smiled. Her brevity made me contemplate this seeming anomaly that much more. Why? Why were they all celebrating? Were they too short-sighted to realize that their lives would soon end?
Of course, I finally came to realize, that we all share a common destiny. That destiny, that ultimate destination awaits us all. But we are still here, still alive and kicking; rebellious and greedy in our cravings, and hungry to enjoy all that life has to offer. So at New Years, perhaps if only subconsciously for some, we find ourselves united as passengers on a train to a common destination. We are as one large mass of flesh, sharing our fleeting lives upon this planet, and whether one is young or old, sick or healthy, this train only goes till the end of the line and we all know it. Deep within our minds we all understand our mortality and the inevitability of death.
It's 2010 and we are all still very much alive, still hoping to actualize our own individual dreams in this party that we call life. The world has many problems, but it is also a place of great beauty and offers great potential for happiness and individual growth and exploration. Perhaps at New Years more than at any other time we look to the future with hope, and try to cast off the sins of the past. That beautiful clean future that has yet to be defiled makes us want to celebrate, and the inner knowledge of our final destination makes us all brothers and sisters in history, sharing our planet at this particular instant in time.
Therefore, as common passengers, let us all try to share this train ride as pleasantly as possible, enjoying the views along the way, helping our fellow passengers whenever we can, and never failing to share with one another our best thoughts and feelings. The station is up ahead; we know the journey will soon end, but no need to worry about that now. Let's enjoy the ride as long as it lasts and soak up as much scenery and enjoyment as we can, remembering all the while that the most important ingredient in our happiness on this trip is the welfare of our fellow passengers. Everything in life is better when its shared, and we are all lucky in that we have one another to keep us company on this exciting journey through life.
Happy New Year, and many more to you all.
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