In Japan they say "akemashite omedetou" to ring in the new year. It's a phrase that translates most closely to "felicitous opening" in English, which may sound sort of silly, but I think it's much more meaningful than "Happy New Year"; I like the idea of opening up a huge cardboard box full of threehundredsixtyfive days. At the top of the box, there's bubble wrap and all those staticky peanuts to sort through until we don't feel funny writing "06" on our checks anymore. Then we discover that there are all these littler surprise packages tucked away amongst the seconds and minutes. Each is filled with happy things: good weather, surprise visits from friends, hugs and shivery kisses, salty ocean air on freshly tanned skin, nervous excitement during a westward flight, drooling babies in the checkout line at the grocery store, naps during bus rides from New York City, ripe fruit from the local produce mart, laughter, long phone calls with voices we love.
I opened my new year with Eric and his family in Kansas. To say it was a delightfully magical experience would be a failure of words. If all people were so kind and loving and supportive and nurturing and hospitable and caring and just plain fun, the world would have no ugliness.
Akemashite omedetou. May your gift box be filled with nothing but happy red surprises.
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