Thoughts, rants and observations from a Dutch guy.

The new year has come and gone. New Year’s Eve, for me, is always a special occasion. And the days following, even more remarkable. It’s not so much a time of choosing paths of self-improvement that I was previously too lazy to take during past year. It’s more a changing of gears. The calling card of another time, that in later years will be remembered in connection yet another number.

Wait, this sounds lame, and stupid to you? It certainly doesn’t for me. A number can have great importance. A 2 is not a 1, and this last one was not too great for me. I’m a firm believer that two will make up for it. It’s a nice rounded number.

New Year’s Eve, party or no, is a change in number. A change in gears. Although that is not all that it is. For just one evening, a city, a place of normality, where you rarely see anything out of the ordinary happen, transforms into a town of bright colors and smoke. A magical place that feels small, where, just for one evening everything is possible.

Both good and bad of course. The night brings home many tales of accidents involving fireworks, and regular works of fire. Bombs. Cars set on fire. Bonfires. But surrounding all this is a rare occasion of people going out on the streets, neighbors standing side-by-side, enjoying each others presence. Amusing themselves with fireworks and good cheer. We take a moment to wish each other a happy new year, and much good fortune in the future, when otherwise we’d just walk past each other with no further comment.

That, in itself, is magical.

The next day, everything goes back to the old ways. Although, not entirely. Not just yet.

For one day, a day most spent with headaches, and many promises of never again, we let the dust settle. Literally. The smoke clears out. The city starts feeling as new. And in a sense, it is. It’s always been new. It’s always been current. It’s always been there, just the way it is now. And it always will be.

That in itself, is magical.

Of course, we’re here now, half a month after the event. Most resolutions have been resolved with a negative result already. Most of the feeling of good cheer, and promises of a better life, have left us just as swiftly as the bonfires, fireworks, and smoke has.

That doesn’t mean the magic has left us.

It’s still there, just where we left it. Just because we don’t always stop to appreciate it doesn’t mean it’s not there. That, in itself, is what the magic is. Everything.

So, what does that mean for this blog? What can you all expect from me in the coming year?

The same thing you can expect every year.

My ramblings on topics that, at the moment of writing, I feel need saying. Trying out new things as I go along. Learning more and more about myself, my state of mind, and how I view everything surrounding me. Because, that’s how I make my own magic.

I hope you all stick with me for another year of blogging. This goes for the old subscribers who have been with me for almost 2 years now, as well as the new ones who joined me during Guest Post Week. And, of course, everyone in between.

Let’s make this a magical year, without downplaying what has always been right in front of us.