Happy New You

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And auld lang syne!

-

For auld lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne,

We'll take a cup o' kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

...

It's the end of another year, and what a year it has been.  As the new year's revellers prepare for the night ahead, I find myself looking back on the year.  'Auld Lang Syne' is traditionally sang at midnight as one year ends and the new one begins.  I've included an excerpt of the lyrics, the first verse and the chorus perhaps the most well known.  They are quite sombre, filled with sorrow but also filled with hope.  I've never dwelled on them much before but never have I had a year that I am so happy to see the back of, so this is a time of reflection for me.  I'm only 28 and I know some people will call me a Summer Child but I would argue against that given what I had to see growing up, but that's for another time. 

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot" - this lyric is the one I am dwelling on the most.  I said goodbye to a few people this year, one or two were very difficult to part ways with but it was necessary.  Still the fact that this year is the year we parted on top of everything else that happened makes me dwell on it if only for a few moments at a time.  I don't want them back in my life, nothing has changed, we would only repeat the same problems over again.  This year has brought the true colours out in many people and it's made me realise how ugly some of those are.  When you look at websites online and see the mix of designs that range from elegant to complete train wrecks it really makes you think about who should and shouldn't be able to make decisions.  Putting aside whose side you want to be on I think everyone can agree they think the other's demonstrates a severe lack of judgement.

Arguments over personality conflicts, and life decisions whilst disconnected from politics, take on the same characteristics.  An argument is an argument, no matter what the subject is, both people always think they are right and it's not usually possible for them both to be so.  When you reach an impasse you have a choice to make, either agree to disagree, or see the difference as irreconcilable and part ways.  In a few cases this year I chose the latter and to be honest I am happy I did.  I am not happy I lost the people but people grow apart.  Memories are just memories.  Reality is the present and the future, the past is just a dream - one that actually happened.  It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.

The question the song asks - should old acquaintances be forgotten? - I think the answer is no, don't forget them, keep the memories, but accept that the people you knew are gone, because we all change as we grow, we become different people in time, and that's ok, sometimes people grow apart because the people we become don't get along.

I was going to end this post with a video of the song, but I've decided to end it with a video from Doctor Who instead, a speech by Matt Smith before he regenerated into Peter Capaldi, because I think it's appropriate.

Happy New Year, Happy New You.