2021-01-02
After About 4,296 E-Mails
2021-01-01
Happiness Is Touching
I heard big bangs from outside, as the midnight of December 31st, 2020 was approaching, so I went over and looked outside.
This is a new place, a new city (a city!), a new country within a country and a new country. This is England, in the United Kingdom (of Great Britain and North Ireland).
(I keep forgetting that "United Kingdom" is actually not the full name of this country)
This is a place where the Christian new year is a big thing. A huge thing. Unlike in Israel, where few celebrate the actual concept and the rest celebrate the "romantic" and/or obligatory Silvester (or Novy God for the former Soviet Union folks).
The bangs started sporadically since around 8 in the evening, ramped up around 11:30 and went bonkers around midnight. At some point, I even started seeing some fireworks, not just hearing the bangs.
I am not sure whether it was bigger this time, or maybe this is the regular show in this city, but it felt bigger.
Some people were outside, in their balconies, screaming and woo-hooing as they heard or saw the fireworks.
It was moving, touching, emotional. Happiness can be beautiful, even if it is not my happiness.
As I watched the actual fireworks in front of my eyes, I started giggling. It was not a "this is ridiculous" or a "this is stupid" giggle. It was "this is touching, I am moved by the happiness" giggle. Kind of like when I see someone being really cute, I giggle.
Another one and another one, a bigger one and a bigger one, all of those colors, all of that shininess, all of that screaming. Two children held sparklers. All of that happiness. It was a warm time to be in, in this cold (almost?) sub-zero night.
The skies were not black anymore, or close to it. They had this colored tint and it flashed multiple times per second. Less than a lightning flash, but pretty significant. And the Christmas trees are still there, lit up.
The skies were not alone. People were alone together.
This is a new place, a new city (a city!), a new country within a country and a new country. This is England, in the United Kingdom (of Great Britain and North Ireland).
(I keep forgetting that "United Kingdom" is actually not the full name of this country)
This is a place where the Christian new year is a big thing. A huge thing. Unlike in Israel, where few celebrate the actual concept and the rest celebrate the "romantic" and/or obligatory Silvester (or Novy God for the former Soviet Union folks).
The bangs started sporadically since around 8 in the evening, ramped up around 11:30 and went bonkers around midnight. At some point, I even started seeing some fireworks, not just hearing the bangs.
I am not sure whether it was bigger this time, or maybe this is the regular show in this city, but it felt bigger.
Some people were outside, in their balconies, screaming and woo-hooing as they heard or saw the fireworks.
It was moving, touching, emotional. Happiness can be beautiful, even if it is not my happiness.
As I watched the actual fireworks in front of my eyes, I started giggling. It was not a "this is ridiculous" or a "this is stupid" giggle. It was "this is touching, I am moved by the happiness" giggle. Kind of like when I see someone being really cute, I giggle.
Another one and another one, a bigger one and a bigger one, all of those colors, all of that shininess, all of that screaming. Two children held sparklers. All of that happiness. It was a warm time to be in, in this cold (almost?) sub-zero night.
The skies were not black anymore, or close to it. They had this colored tint and it flashed multiple times per second. Less than a lightning flash, but pretty significant. And the Christmas trees are still there, lit up.
The skies were not alone. People were alone together.
Labels: Failure