Anti-Climax

If there was one day out of the whole year that could be described as a complete and utter letdown, then December 31st fits the bill. New Year’s Eve has been a sore spot with me since the time I was able to comprehend calendars and the gut-wrenching passing of time. Early on, the stroke of midnight on that evening promised magical things, but never delivered on those promises. As a child, and even a large portion of my adulthood, I believed there was a lot riding on that night time countdown in the dead of winter. After all, countdowns by their very nature lead to anticipation of something (usually) big or important. Marathons start, dynamite detonates, hell, even the space shuttle launches after a countdown. So, why, after several years with Dick Clark, did absolutely NOTHING happen once the ball dropped?



Please do not confuse my disappointment with sorrow. I’ve had a few wonderful New Year’s Eve moments. Playing games and drinking into the early hours of the New Year, well, I cannot really find fault with that. I’m all for celebrating anything and everything, and bringing in the New Year sounds as good as any other excuse to throw a party. In addition to the parties, I suppose New Year’s Eve serves another distinct purpose. There is something deeply satisfying (compulsive, perhaps a better word choice) about ticking off another year in the ever-present internal time keeping psyche. Our linear progression of time is like a security blanket of sorts. We can flip the calendar to the next scenic landscape/puppy dog/Dilbert and feel some kind of cosmic stability.



Maybe this is what the whole New York/New Year’s Eve mess is all about; cheering on our man-made relationship to time? Could be. Then again, why do it only once a year? The excitement, joy, and anticipation felt on the eve of December 31st should really be felt every evening. And, if that isn’t possible (realistically who feels anything but dread most days of November) then can someone please send me the sparks, fairy dust, and magic for New Year’s Eve. Actually, better make it for next year…I’m going to bed.