The clock strikes twelve as it does every night. But one midnight strike stands apart from the other 364—over one billion people across the globe watch New York’s Times Square ball drop 70 feet in 60 seconds.
For 2023, the Ball lit by 32,000 plus LEDs twinkled with 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles designed to represent ten gifts—love, wisdom, happiness, goodwill, harmony, serenity, kindness, wonder, fortitude, and imagination. The million or so celebrants in Time Square skipped the champagne toasts—no alcohol allowed—but enjoyed midnight kisses, Auld Lang Syne, and a one ton confetti shower inscribed with thousands of New Year wishes.
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Actually the Times Square party was a symbolic welcome to the New Year given that 28 time zones preceded New York in starting the party. A cascade of spectacular fireworks and light celebrations circled the globe from Sydney, Australia to Dubai, United Arab Emirates to London, United Kingdom to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In December 2018, when visiting my family in Sydney, Australia, my husband Robert saw it as his chance to see the Sydney fireworks in person. My family worked very hard to convince him that he could not just roll up on his scooter a couple of hours before midnight. He’d have to be there for hours ahead of time and would be roped in by security for several more hours after midnight. On top of that, the crushing crowd of one million partygoers would block his 40 inch line-of-sight and make public transport home a nightmare. He reluctantly settled for a view from my brother’s balcony a few miles away.
About 20 years earlier, I messed with Robert and another New Year’s tradition. We were on vacation in Florida when he and his brother Peter were asked to dress up as Father Time and Baby New Year. I objected when Robert was chosen to dress as the baby. As little people we work very hard at being taken seriously and treated as adults. Age is not related to size. The last thing we needed was for Robert to be stereotyped as the baby with photos to prove it for years to come. The compromise came when Robert dressed as Father Time personifying the old year and his brother dressed as Baby New Year illustrating the new year.
As I close out 2022 and look forward to 2023, my perspective as an author and blogger draws me to quotes related to writing:
“Do not let kindness and truth leave you; write them on the tablet of your heart.”
~ Solomon
“The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written.”
~ Melody Beattie
“New year—a new chapter, new verse, or just the same old story? Ultimately we write it. The choice is ours.”
~ Alex Morritt
“Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one.”
~ Brad Paisley.
Praying you have a Happy New Year filled with God’s light and love.
For more information on my dwarfism book trilogy and weekly blog posts, go to my website at https://angelamuirvanetten.com.
3 replies on “MIDNIGHT STRIKES ANOTHER NEW YEAR”
Thank you, Angela. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and Robert!
Happy new year to you and Robert! Looking forward to what is to come in 2023.
Happy New Year 🎊wishing you both 2023 blessings.