She asked if I haven’t become tired of the motions of 31st all-night church services where new year resolutions and prayers are made for a year that promises much but delivers nothing.

Perhaps, frustrations were providing her the lens to see things with such clarity. I try to cheer her up by saying a consistent prayer life made a big difference in what kind of year a person had.

Somehow I was catching her disease, for I wasn’t sure what I said was absolutely true. People have done many things but their lives are still standing where we last met them.

The sudden awkward silence between us pushed me to place a call. To another friend outside the country. I doubted she would pick up, but she did. She was in the kitchen washing her hands, speaking from a distance to the phone.

“Happy new year!” I said.

“Many happy returns!” my friend on the other end replied.

I know Jane. She didn’t sound confident about the new year wishes she proclaimed over the phone, and I knew why without asking.

For years, she’s been home without a job. She’s burnt candles, prayed, knelt, cried, sang, danced, hoped, remained silent… Just hoping that one of those keys would unlock something, but the damned keys wouldn’t work any miracle.

No wonder some question the wisdom of the motions. Perhaps a new year had favorites. Why not sit in one’s  corner minding one’s business instead of joining the procession to welcome a new year when one’s name is not on any of the gifts she is bringing.

  🎉🎉🎉🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊🎉🎉🎉

Special thanks to Sadje, Grace (of the sun), David (Bogomolny), Pooja, Janice, and to you all my cherished readers. Happy new year to us all!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️💐❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️