The Changing of Years

It’s the last day of the year 2023. Means a lot to many people.

Especially to those who have had, a lot of upheavals in the last few months. For them 2024 signifies hope.

For those tormented troubled souls who are dreaming of some kind of relief from their toxic or suffocating situation, they will be looking at it, with a mix of hope and despair. Despair because deep down they know that chess pieces may change but the board will always remain the same.

For those in the sunset of their lives, when years move extremely fast yet the days drag on painfully, it is a moment to escape the routine and have fun with their family, if the family lives with them or nearby. If not, then there’s zoom and FaceTime or video calls.

For the many cynical ones, it’s just a completion of suns orbit around the sun and nothing more. But then at which point does the orbit completes one circle. Is there a chequered flag at a specific point in space that waves wildly when sun crosses the finish line at that point. A year is based on the orbital time, true. For lack of any other parameter, humans used the earth’s orbital time as a standard year. It denotes a span of time that accommodates various seasons perfectly. Also lays down a framework of days and months that’s useful for planning various activities. From agricultural, businesses, financial and even political. Yes the terms of “Heads of States of countries” are also calculated in multiples of earths orbital time around the sun.

And there those irritating ones, who will without fail, argue endlessly almost every year, that this is not our new year as per our culture. They will post lengthy write ups justifying their claim. In the process blaming everyone for succumbing to foriegn influences and forgetting our own glorious past.

There are new years parties where the participants keep on increasing every year and there are new year parties where the number of participants keeps on going down with every passing year. Wish both continue with the same vigour and enthusiasm with rising number of participants.

The young will definitely rejoice. And why should they not. It’s a generation that has been promised a lot by the technological development and scientific progress. It has also been pumped up by parents, motivational speakers and social media influencers. Yet they have got the raw end of the deal. With taxing work schedules, ever increasing working hours, tiring commutes, exorbitantly priced real estate and sky high cost of education for their kids. But enjoy they will. They won’t miss out on today’s moment and will definitely party hard. For they have one thing going for them. One important attribute that they have. A mindset to enjoy and make the most of any passing good moment.

And there will be many who will genuinely celebrate, for no reason other than the joy of celebrating.

So Happy New Year in advance with a sincere wish that may your life continue on the beautiful path it is travelling now and if not, then I sincerely wish that it takes a turn for better in this coming year.

©️ShashikantDudhgaonkar