Happy New Year

' 2025 '

Samay kisi ke liye nahi rukhta, guys. 

Unless it's ' India's Got Latent' 

(Kyunki usi ka hi toh show hai!)

Well, a very Happy New Year to you and yours! As we step into 2025, it’s like opening a new chapter in a book, but to be honest... I feel numb. There’s this void where excitement used to live. It’s as if the calendar flipped, but my heart stayed still. The same determination to make this year count, to perform better, to give my best... but that old thrill, that spark that once ignited my soul as the New Year approached, is nowhere to be found. Remember the days when we couldn't wait for the parties, the laughter, the midnight countdown? Now, forget the party. I hardly even meet my friends anymore. I miss them. I miss us.

I often reminisce about those simple days when I would beg my dad to bring me greeting cards so I could write personal New Year wishes. Back in the 2G era, when the internet was just a distant dream and Google was a far-off legend. There were no fancy AI tools to generate "Happy New Year" texts. No WhatsApp forwarding. Instead, we poured our hearts into handwritten messages. Lines like, "Chuha nikla bill se, Happy New Year dil se," and "Roses are red, skies are blue, Happy New Year to all of you" were the real deal. Our creativity bloomed, untethered by the constraints of the digital age. Every card had a unique piece of us in it, a piece of our hearts.

Now, it’s just a cold WhatsApp text: "Happy New Year!" Maybe a quick voice note or, if you're lucky, a call. But the warmth of those handwritten messages has long faded. And let’s not even talk about video calls. Seeing the faces of the people you once hugged and wished, now only pixels on a screen, feels like a bittersweet reminder of what used to be.

Time, like a relentless river, has changed everything. But the emotions? They linger like echoes in the back of my mind. I wish I could recreate those moments when life was simple, when joy was measured by the little things, not by the number of likes on a post. Now, people are out there partying, cutting cakes, celebrating with family and friends... and here I am, lying in bed, responding to each message with the same words: "Wishing you a year as extraordinary as you are," when deep down, the ordinary part of me feels lost. Or "Here’s to a year as bright as your spirit," even though my own spirit feels more like a flickering candle than a blazing star. "May your year shine as brilliantly as your wishes!" — when the truth is, I wonder if anyone would wish me if I didn’t initiate it first.

Whether people are cutting cakes or sharing family moments, I scroll through their stories. Parents, hugging their children, celebrating together. And honestly? I’m a little jealous. Because I don’t have that closeness with my parents. We’re good, but we’re not the type to stay up till midnight, cut cakes, and wish each other a Happy New Year with heartfelt hugs. My parents are peacefully asleep, while I’m here, pouring out my mann ki vyatha.

And then, the posts with flowers, the gifts, the hugs, the love. Friends posting with their boyfriends, laughing, exchanging warmth. Uff. Am I sounding jealous now? It's okay. I’ve gotten used to it. But I can’t help but long for those simpler days when love wasn’t just a status update, but a real, tangible emotion.

Let’s pause for a second and think. What makes New Year's Day so special? It’s just the first day of the first month, right? But isn't every day special in its own way? Take 26th November, for example. A random day, deep into the year. Do we get multiple 26ths of November every year? No. So why are we putting so much weight on just day one? Every single day holds its own unique magic. Why prioritize this one day just because it carries the weight of "1" in the calendar?

There’s this Sanskrit line that says:

"साध्वसंवादो विधीयते, आरंभो महतां कार्यं।" 

(Sādhvasaṃvādo vidhīyate, āraṃbho mahatāṃ kāryam.)

It translates to: A good beginning is the key to great accomplishments. It doesn’t matter whether it's the first day of the year or just any other day. What truly matters is the courage to begin.

I know so many people who always say, “Next year, I’ll start,” or “I’ll begin with the New Year.” But guess what? The next New Year passes, and they still haven’t begun. The days keep passing by, unnoticed, slipping through their fingers like grains of sand.

But time is precious, and it waits for no one. Let’s hope that we don’t just wait for the perfect moment. Let’s create those moments. Let’s recreate the joy we miss and make new memories to treasure. Time moves on, whether we’re ready or not. So, why not make the most of it?

Looking back on 2024, I realize it wasn’t perfect, but it was good. I met so many amazing kids who brought so much joy to my heart. I connected with people from across the globe, and each one added their own special touch to my life. I received love, appreciation, and even had my writing published in a book! Sure, there were moments of sadness too. But the happiness I found along the way is so much more powerful. The sadness? It’s almost forgotten.

I learned. I grew. I lived. And most importantly, I feel blessed.

The times have changed. We live in an era where celebrations sometimes feel like a show, an Instagram post, or a quick story shared to show we’re “celebrating.” We’ve lost the real essence of living in the moment. Gone are the days when we were present, truly alive in the moment, not distracted by our phones. But no matter how fast time changes, we must keep the child within us alive — the one who laughs easily, who cherishes the small things, and who finds joy in the simple pleasures of life.

Let’s cherish the time we have, make real memories, and remember that every moment is a gift. Happy New Year, everyone. May this year bring you joy, the courage to start anew, and the ability to live every moment fully — whenever and wherever you choose.