What will it be?

Will you celebrate New Year's Eve, I asked an acquaintance living in Marocco.

I never celebrated it in my entire life, he answered.

It sounds familiar to me although I can tell from experience it's painful to be forgotten during celebration days, especially if it feels like the entire nation celebrates and you are not.

You hear people have fun, watch the drunks, see people hug, and use fireworks to scare the (bad) ghosts of the old year away to be sure to have that brand-new start. A new year,2024, new changes right?

Next January 1st is good for the new year's dive into the sea.

Those who don't care about the weather circumstances. Once in you swim and once out you are satisfied you achieved the first goal you set.

With some luck home is nearby.

Good for a hot shower, hot chocolate milk or the left champagne.

Most likely there's no champagne left.

It's the only white wine with bubbles people spill without hesitation.

Champagne doesn't taste great and it's not good for my wallet so I skip that part.

My homemade cherry liquor with cinnamon tastes way better plus there are cheaper and better, alcohol-free drinks to toast with.

Some celebrate and drink, my acquaintance says, but I don't.

It would surprise me if he drinks alcohol since although he is Muslim. To be honest I mainly see Muslims ignoring the rules just like most believers do. If it comes to it people are the same. We want to belong to the group of those who look popular. If not you are dull and dull people stay at home, have fun without alcohol, and do not wake up at places they can't remember how they got there. Those dull ones set goals, save and travel.

I plan to travel again in 2024.

I plan to save even though prices are rocketing and my income decreased by 500 euros a month.

Another goal I set is to buy a sofa. I don't have one so I can only sit on a chair that hurts my back and neck. A back (or kidneys) that already hurts if laying in bed.

So I set goals. Not annually but monthly since that is how life is. We set goals, we hope and dream, we save money to achieve what we need or want, and we enjoy or hate the choices we make or made.

It's hard to choose what is the best. All I, each one of us can do, is create a better life for us. If we feel better there's room to do the same for someone else.

Looking back I don't think 2023 was such a bad year although, just like others I was challenged and had to find ways to survive.

I don't think the future will be bright but also don't think it will be bad.

The future, my future is today. I am holding it in my hand and it's up to me how to experience it, how to twist it into a satisfying experience.

You do not need alcohol to celebrate, you don't need fireworks to get rid of the bad ghosts, your fingers or an eye. All you need is taking the time to wish yourself a good, satisfying life which you can perfectly do with a cup of tea or a glass of water. And if you have no one to talk to, want to keep track of what you achieved keep a journal or diary. You will be surprised about everything you achieved, how much you survived and the many choices you made during that year of your life once you read it back in one year.

A happy New Year to me in advance! If I don't make it now I can always join the Chinese Spring Festival.

29-12-2023