Thursday, January 1, 2009

Happy Constructed New Year

We don't celebrate Dec 29 or Dec 30 or Dec 31, but we count down the seconds to Jan 1 and when the clock strikes midnight the fireworks explode, the wine glasses are raised and the wings of song and cheer are freed.

But what sets apart one date from another? What makes 19.5 hours ago more celebration-worthy than, say, 9 hours ago? Society's labels, that's what.

This is the wonder of Man : That we can and are willing to construct arbitrary frameworks of order and shape our lives (and our very emotions) around them.

Time, like much of what else, takes on whatever meaning, genesis and shape we put into it. The "first day of the year" can be whenever and however we choose it to be. So, presumably, can the rest of our lives.

Happy '2009'. Let's have good fun.

1 comment:

Alex Tang said...

We all need a boundary or a time period when when we can allow ourselves another chance. Maybe this year we will do better, be better and live better. Happy New year.