Bravery

As we approach the start of the new year, I would like to discuss bravery.

You see, I have never considered myself a brave person. Everything scares me (especially horror movies. Like really. I seriously cannot watch anything remotely horror like, not even horror parodies). And as the new year looms over me with more potential than probably any new year I have had looming before now. I'm frightened.

You see I am comfortable with feeling frustrated that things aren't going as well as I would like. And I am used to the fear of never living up to what I think I could be. But this whole new fear, the fear of losing something really great, dude so not comfortable with that one. I'm frightened of it all somehow vanishing. Of unforeseen bad things happening. Of failure after the promise of success.

And I think we all have some sort of similar feelings when facing a whole new year. We look at it and sigh. It all just seems so daunting, the whole year stretched out like that as a blank canvas. And then. Well then we do something really, I think, extraordinary with the thought of "What's going to happen this year", or all those nagging concerns of what we didn't accomplished this year and have yet to do.

We face them head on.

Instead of dwelling on them, we turn it around and make resolutions. It may be a cheesy tradition for some, but think about it for a second.

Personally, I think it is a mighty impressive thing, New Year's Eve. It makes us in our very cynical existence extremely brave. We choose, if only for this one night, to soldier on. For a brief moment we just face the void with our chins held high, we acknowledge the void's existence instead of ignoring it as we tend to the rest of the time. We examine our lives, and resolve to do better. For one night only. "Yes ladies and gents, for one night only! See the typically skeptical masses believe in something - hope."

And this is a pretty darn special thing.

So.

To everyone I wish you a very happy New Year's celebration, however relaxed or extravagant (my preference has always been to rent movies and hang out with my friends).

Then I will wish you a very happy year.

And if not a happy year, well then, keep up the standard you have set for yourself tonight, and make it, at least, a brave one.