2009- A Year of Hope

It’s 6 ½ hours until 2009 arrives in Botswana. It’s strange to think friends in Australia have already made their way into the new year and I’ll reach there before my friends and family in America. Funny how that works. (Yes- I was a certified science teacher, but still these things amaze me)

I’ve always loved New Year’s Eve. There is something magical about getting the chance to start anew. We all make mistakes. We have regrets. A new year is so forgiving of our human-ness. I love the hope of a new year. Everything is ahead of us. We can set goals and throw out our wishes to the universe and we have the year to see what comes our way. It’s like those lucky packets we had when we were kids. I was always a sucker for them. Maybe that’s why I love a new year so much; I want to see what “my lucky packet year” has for me. Despite my exterior which borders pessimism quite heavily, sometimes even crossing over and filling in the spaces, I think in my heart I am an optimist.

My optimism says this year bodes well. I know that this year an agent will realise my brilliance ;) and snatch me up. I know that I will finally write my big break-out novel. I know that my family will all stay healthy and beautiful and loving. I know my older sisters will finally see that it is time to cut the strings of our past and live the life that has been set before them, the life that cherishes who they are instead of denying it. I know this year my little sister will continue her brave work of educating her students on what being an American as well as a world citizen really means. She and her family will stay secure and sane and loving in a world that tries so hard to keep us from that. I know good news lies in the future for my writing friends who work so hard at their craft. Somehow I feel we’ve seen the worst of the financial crisis. I think a sensible Obama will help the world see talk is more important than egos and pride. Talk and find the way because peace is something far too fragile to play with. Despite the current depths of despair, I also feel that Hamas and Israel will find a place to agree and the bombs will stop falling. I’m giddy with hope for this new year.

So we will welcome the new year at home. We normally live in Lecheng at the school where my husband is a headmaster. This afternoon we arrived home to our own house in Mahalapye. It feels nice being home. Immediately we ran into people, one after another, who we hadn’t seen for so long and it felt like we had come home, and that was nice. Home is a concept I have very little familiarity with, it feels like that may be changing and that’s a good thing. Tonight we will stay up, make a braii, shoot off fireworks, and listen to Radio Botswana waiting for the DJ’s to tell us that 2009 has arrived, the 2009 filled of hope and promise and dreams fulfilled.

Wishing everyone a Happy, Happy New Year!