As a child, I always wondered about the “magic” of New Year’s Eve. My parents always seemed to have friends over for that night, or we went to another friend’s house for the same purpose. Wherever the celebration was held, the house was filled to the brim with a crowd of happy, laughing people. All of the children would stay up as long as possible (or tolerated), hopefully until midnight.
If you were one of those who crashed early and were tucked away into a spare bedroom at the back of the house or possibly upstairs, you still woke up at midnight when the television announcer from Times Square happily entoned, ”Happy New Year!“. It was at that moment that all of the adults seemingly went crazy, kissing each other, hugging, dancing, tooting horns, throwing confetti in the air, all the while shouting, “Ha-appy New Year!” and drinking toasts to each other and the new year. Waking up from a sound sleep as a child to all this chaos, mayhem, and laughter really made you wonder and long for the days when you’d be old enough to stay up and “see the New Year in.”
Now, as an adult of fairly significant years (no, don’t ask), I can look back and realize that it was a celebration of having seen another year in and looking back with fond memories of the year past and loved ones no longer with us.
As we look forward to 2007, I would like to thank you, my families, friends, and colleagues, for the part you have all played in my life this year. 2006 will definitely be a year that I remember with very fond memories. May 2007 be the very best year ever for each and every one of you!
