Montreal New Years Eve 2010 :: the Blog

This is my little break from everything, just some philosophical thoughts; yes, it does happen to me too from time to time. The Sherlock Holmes in me will be back a bit later to investigate all these suspicious events surrounding the New Years Eve, but for now I want to share some deep and insightful thoughts (right) on life.

This idea was planted from Katie’s comment on her fears about the upcoming NYE: “[my boyfriend] came up for new year 2000 and by luck ended up in a bar which he and his group of friends took over. this year we won’t have the huge group, so I’m worried he’ll be disappointed”.

It’s funny, but people always try to live up to past events. That’s as true of a law as gravity. You know that when you throw an apple down Place Ville-Marie it will hit the parked taxi car on the street bellow. You also know for sure that when you plan something special with a bunch of people, something like New Years for example, you’ll hear “I wish it is as fun as ….. (insert event here) was” from someone.

That someone is likely to be me.

Oddly enough, New Years Eve always happens to be a fun night for me, even though I know as well as everyone else, that it is just a regular night like every other night. Really, what’s so special about the 31st? Why couldn’t NYE be on the 4th or maybe the 25th? Actually it could, but it isn’t. What makes NYE special is not the date, but the idea and the general agreement that it is a night to be celebrated. It is a simple as this, just like some pre-historic tribal celebration: for some reason, the tribe decided that on that particular date there will be ritual magic dances, and so there are, every year, on the same date.

Back to living up to the past. Unfortunately, the past is just that, the past. By definition it will never happen again. So there isn’t much sense in trying to live up to it. Most importantly however is that everything and everyone changes. And events like NYE are amazingly good for making you realize that. Take me for example. Two years ago, for the first time since I can remember, our little group of lads celebrated NYE each in our own separated corner (BTW, British slang is in, if you did not notice). The morning after, when that realization came upon me, it was quite weird. But, the morning after was also the best beginning ever of a new year for me.

I did not live up to the past that NYE night. I lived in the present and made the best of it. At that point, that present was very different from the past, and that difference can sometimes make you feel unsafe and uncomfortable. But because I lived in the present, that night will forever remain special to me.

Don’t try to repeat the past, there is not point. The future is always better than the past.

Do the best of every moment.

And when you do talk to your lads the morning after, you’ll realize that it might not be the same anymore, but it is definitely the best for all of them and you.