New Years Day

The New Year has arrived.

It announced its arrival quite rudely, waking me from my sleep

New Years is a special day. Its the day you spend every moment

reminding yourself that it is special.

So that morning I woke up, as I brushed my teeth

reminding myself all the time that it was the first day of the year

I wistfully wished that the first had been a Monday.

A start of the year on the start of the week. A match made in heaven. But alas.

Then as I made coffee, I decided that two spoonfuls of sugar

would usher the year well. And one spoonful of instant coffee.

The first newspaper of the year sadly reported the same news as one year ago.

Of crystal balls, late night parties and hungover people. I kept it aside.

Family and friends kept calling.

Everybody has ESP on New Years because we know what each phone call is about.

Lunch was ordinary: yogurt and then rice with curds.

I usually have it the other way around, but I wanted it to be special today

I skipped my afternoon nap.

It wasn't part of any resolution, I had work to do

I didn't watch any movie because that would have take two hours away.

Instead I read a book. It stretches time.

As evening passed by and night approached

trepidation grew inside: had I done justice for this very special day?

A day like this comes only once a year.

And a year is a long time to wait.

To calm my anxiety, I lay on my bed,

thinking of the resolutions I should perhaps make

Maybe I still have time, maybe I should get up and try something.

I still have two hours left; that's enough time to do something.

And as I thought about these and other things, as the cold winds rattled the windows,

I slowly slipped into slumber, marking an end for the first day of the year.

A very special day indeed.