The New Year is here and for many people it’s a time for
reflecting on the past and planning for the future. If you’re a regular reader
of my columns then you probably already know that I’m not one of those people.
I should probably clarify; I do reflect and think about the past (way to much)
it’s the planning for the future that I’ve never really been into.
I gave up making New Year’s resolutions ages
ago when I figured out that if I couldn’t or wouldn’t change my ways during the
past year why would I make any more effort to change starting on any given
January 1st. I know me, and I don’t see any point in kidding myself or those
around me. That’s not to say that I haven’t given up some bad habits or changed
my ways, just not as a New Year’s resolution.
Christmas
and New Years are so close together that they get lumped together into the
“holiday season” and it’s too bad because I really dislike the beginning but
I’m always happy to see the end. One of the things I like about New Years is
that it’s the only holiday that’s non-religious (if you don’t count the
Gregorian calendar aspect) and non-political.
Thinking
back as a kid, New Years was always exciting because my parents liked to throw
New Years Eve parties and they would let me help do stuff like peel the shrimp.
Then they would let me stay up until midnight if I could keep my eyes open and
see everyone ringing in the New Year.
As a
teenager New Years was just another excuse to party since my friends and I
stayed up past midnight almost every weekend anyway. I don’t remember any
specific New Years parties that stood out, I just know we partied like there
was no tomorrow.
Considering
that I’ve lived through 60 New Years, none have really left much of an
impression other than the one I’m going to tell you about now. Oh, and
impression may be over hyping it.
When I
was in my mid-twenties and already living with Diane, for 2 or 3 years in a row
we celebrated New Years Eve with an old friend of mine and his wife at their
house down by Detroit. It was such a low key get together that we jokingly
called ourselves “The Boremores” as in boring. We played board games, ate,
drank, waited until midnight then made the hour drive home.
So
you’re probably wondering why this is memorable. Well the party wasn’t but the
drive home sure was. First let me explain; I used to be one of those guy that
If I said I was going to be somewhere at a certain time then you could set your
watch by it because nothing was going to stop me. And if it was a social
commitment, for sure don’t get in my way.
Anyway,
that particular New Years Eve the weathermen were predicting freezing rain and
we probably should have stayed home, but damn it I committed to a party so we
were going.
Sure enough just after
midnight, as we were leaving, the rain started and at the same time the
temperature started to drop. I had the wipers and defrost going full blast to
keep the rain from freezing on the windshield. Even though the salt trucks were
out the freeways were still treacherous and the drive home was what we
Midwesterners call “white knuckle driving” because you’re holding onto the
steering wheel so tight.
After a couple of hours
crawling down the freeway we made it home without any mishaps and collapsed
into bed wondering about what a way to start the new year. Was it an omen for
what lay ahead? We weren’t sure but we were definitely a little freaked out as
we finally drifted off to sleep.
That morning, New Years day
we woke to an almost unbearable brightness coming in through the bedroom window
(and it wasn’t from being hung-over). Our bedroom was on the second floor and
looked out over a park that was across the street, as I got up and looked out
the window it was one of the most amazing, dare I say even magical sights I
have ever seen. The storm from the night before had past and the sun was shining
down on all the trees covered in a layer of crystal clear, shimmering ice.
It was one of the most
beautiful and memorable things I’ve ever seen and reminds me that sometimes you
just have to sit back and let nature say HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!
To view the column in it's original form go to page 12 of the following link. Winters Express 1/4/18
