This day we call New Year..
Just a normal day dated 31 December, when the clock tick past 12 PM, and here it is, the New Year!
It’s almost absurd.. at least that’s how I came to perceive it in the last few years of my life.
As a teenager and college student, New Year was a big thing!
We would wait for it, prepare it in advance, plan for it, anticipate it, dream about it..
What will you do on New Year?
It seemed that this question dominated our thoughts even weeks before the actual date!
Of course this hype didn’t last.
One day I grew up. I became mature. Philosophical. Spiritual.
The New Year thing became a silly obligation.
Gosh, what the hell does it mean anyway?
I’d rather not be there on that day. Just let it pass with the least harm possible.
Sending few messages to those who would feel hurt if I don’t send them messages.
Finding a safe place to spend this dangerous 12 PM clock-ticking time.
I was feeling “above” the crowd and their mundane occupations.
Smarter than to be fooled or carried away by some meaningless rituals.
But yesterday, I had a change of heart!
Spending a lovely night with my girlfriend in Jakarta, we went to a mall nearby our place at 10PM to see what was happening.
It was just a normal shopping mall place, among tens of other malls in this huge city.
Nice open area, many restaurents, bars, starbucks and cafes.
Some shows, and some dancing by funnily dressed up people.
Few DJs, sound system, lighting, and hundreds of people wandering around.
Honestly it was absurd.
The show was OK, but you wouldn’t go specifically for it or pay for to watch it!
The music was OK.. but again it wasn’t much different than the music at the gym..
And there was lot’s of people. It was hard to find a place even to sit for a while!
The atmosphere was getting at the edge of suffocating.
Gosh.. I started wondering whether I wanted to be there!
But then something magic started to happen..
Few minutes before the 12PM time, all people gathered in that big alley.
It seemed like “something” was about to arrive..
People were blowing trumpets like crazy.
The sounds were getting high. Screaming. Whistling.
Drumming. Anticipation. Suspense.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1
And the scene explodes!
Balloons fell from the sky.
Music played hard and loud.
People started hugging and kissing each other.
Young and old jumping, raising hands, dancing to the music..
And then the party started.
Dancing, moving, shaking.
Young people break-dancing on the floor.
Fathers carrying their kids on their shoulders and moving around.
Kids blowing trumpets and whistling.
Smoke coming out from the DJ boot.
Guys spilling snow-like sprays all over the place.
DJs rocking the stage with loud music..
It was amazing!
Incredible energy started flowing out.
It seemed at this moment that all worries and life problems vanished…
Everyone joined the celebration.
And then I understood.
31 December is nothing.
12 PM is nothing.
“New Year” is nothing.
It was all so special only because WE CHOSE to make it so.
We decided to make it a happy moment, a celebration, and a jubilation.
An opportunity to connect with those we love and to wish them well.
And so it was!
And I was so touched.
We humans have really so much un-expressed love in ourselves to share.
Going into the cycles of life, many of us spend days and years in struggles.
In un-fulfilling jobs. In financial worries. In relationship problems.
Sometimes we forget the joy.
Sometimes we miss the happiness.
But deep in our heart we only crave one desire.
To jump and to scream freely and happily.
To dance. To hug. To connect. To love.
And I felt part of it.
I wholeheartedly surrendered to this flow.
I realized how much I am also part of this humanity.
I share what it shares. I hope what it hopes.
And me too, i crave to dance, to hug, to connect, and to love.
And I got the biggest lesson of all.
Our attitude in life and what we feel.. depends on us.
It’s in our power to create happiness and celebrations.
It’s in our power to choose to be joyful when we want.
The 12PM ticking time is nothing but an excuse for us to exercise this power!
Any moment in our life can be like 31 December on 12PM.
At any moment we can blow the trumpets, we can turn on the music, we can dance, and jump.
Just like we do it on 31 December, so we can do it every day, in our little moments of life.
We can decide to be happy, we can choose to be joyful
We can celebrate that we are alive!
And I realized that after all, the New Year is beautiful.
It is beautiful to join each other to celebrate life.
I realized how much humanity is craving connection..
And how much being human is wonderful too.
In its silliness, in its innocence, in its vulnerability and its childishness..
Yes it feels good to be human.
To get carried with music.
To blow whistles and to jump.
To hug and to feel love.
Yes I realized that after all, I love the New Year celebrations!
You know, the sun shines every day..
The moon keeps turning around the earth.
The earth gravitates around the Sun.
Seasons come, seasons go..
And it’s all eternal..
There is no New Year, no Old Year.
Calendar is an invention, dates are meaningless
And time is an illusion..
But our celebrations, our joys, our love.. are real.
Happy New Year to all! 🙂
Jihad Saad - Expand Your Awareness, Transform Your Life 