Burning The Old

31st December 2011 Saturday

I peel potatoes and parsnips. My husband pours wine. We start talking about our year. He says it’s been the worst year ever. We end up bickering. Whose reality is more real? It starts to rain - we hear it hammering on the plastic utility roof. On the patio my husband has laid wood and torn paper for a fire in the wide copper bowl ready for our New Year Ritual - burning the old - bringing in the new. It won’t light now.

While the veggies roast in the oven we sit side by side on the sofa for our daily fifteen minute meditation. My mind won’t be still so I give up and pray instead.

Just before midnight we have a bath and bring in 2012 with Jools Hollland on the TV. My husband doesn’t know what Old Lang Syne is until he hears the music. We sing along and jig our arms together. He says 2012 is going to be fantastic. I like his optimism.

And I’m going to light that fire on an unchartered day when the wood is dry and let the flames eat up the past.