New Year – Part 1

Preface

Like ev’ry flower wilts, like youth is fading
and turns to age, so also one’s achieving:
Each virtue and each wisdom needs parading
in one’s own time, and must not last forever.
The heart must be, at each new call for leaving,
prepared to part and start without the tragic,
without the grief – with courage to endeavor
a novel bond, a disparate connection:
For each beginning bears a special magic
that nurtures living and bestows protection. 

We’ll walk from space to space in glad progression
and should not cling to one as homestead for us.
The cosmic spirit will not bind nor bore us;
It lifts and widens us in ev’ry session:
For hardly set in one of life’s expanses
we make it home, and apathy commences.
But only he, who travels and takes chances,
can break the habits’ paralyzing stances. 

It might be, even, that the last of hours
will make us once again a youthful lover:
The call of life to us forever flowers…
Anon, my heart: Say farewell and recover!

1. New Year’s Eve (Leonberg, Germany.)

The sound of fireworks was my background music as I was packing for my short trip to Bristol. All packed, and I waited for a called taxi that never come. I walked to the train station and called another taxi. Before the taxi I called arrived, another taxi passed by.

“Where are you going?” the taxi driver asked with his middle east accent.
“Airport, but I’ve called a taxi.”
“Your taxi won’t come, all taxis are fully booked. You’re lucky I pass by the train station. I’ll bring you to the airport if you want to.”

I hesitated a while, 3 am something I was talking to someone with a suspicious look, but I really did not want to miss my flight. I stepped into the taxi. We talked a bit and I found out he was looking bad because he had worked all night carrying drunken people from party to party. He wanted to help me and what he got was my unfair prejudice. I felt ashamed of my hesitation, and plead God for pardon all the way to the airport, that I judged someone from appearance.

As I paid the taxi fee, I tried to give him a bright smile, which was not easy to put on my face at 4 am after heavily continually working during the Christmas season as a church musician. Of course, I wish him a happy new year.

This suspicious looking angel helped me to get my flight on time.

2. New Year Lunch (Bristol, UK.)

“I will be in Bristol on New Years day because R invited me for lunch.”
I announced to my family when we were on a group call in November.
“Does New Year lunch have to be overseas?” my sister asked.
“Well, it doesn’t have to. But who can resist R’s cooking? And I miss Bristol.” I replied.
“I invite you for dinner, will you be home?” my mom asked.
“No, if I fly home, I’ll only spend my whole holiday on flight.”

R answered my doorbell, I could not believe that I was there, being in this lovely house with tasty homemade Indian cuisine and friendly neighbour who also being invited for lunch. R’s home was my refuge during my Bristol days, I felt so good to be back again.

To be continued – Part 2