As the year 2024 was coming to an end, many across the world awaited the arrival of the next year. Most stayed awake past their regular sleeping hour, spending time with those they considered near. The eyes and minds occasionally looked at the ever-moving minute hand of the clock or the changing digits of time on phones.
As the hour hand arrived at 12 and the minutes moved beyond the 59, there was an eruption of happiness and positivity within and outside with many expressing the joy on their face, and with hands and feet moving on their own. They rushed to share this feeling with others, embracing the moment to the fullest and with all that we arrived at the question ‘what will be different this year?’
“I guess it’s the feeling of something new coming into our lives, inspiring us to do more. This year I am definitely going to learn how to ride a horse, add another unique skill to my list,” said one of my friends
“For me it is like the question ‘what if you could go back in time’, each year is like that, an opportunity to turn things around for the best. We make a tonne of mistakes that we don’t want to occur again, given that we realise them of course. Each new year gives us that opportunity to make those positive changes and give a better direction to life,” said another of my friend
We looked in silence at the burning ember fire and then another of my friends spoke, “Will it be any different though? I mean the same thing is happening every year, I am going to office expecting promotion or a new better job, kids are growing and will be adults one day in the care and guidance of my wife, my old parents are growing older than I have ever seen them and I am always afraid which year will be it. We do aim for a lot of things, but all we end up with is the same every year, the only thing different is our growing years, maybe towards a better tomorrow or towards an unknown end”
“I lost my grandmother in 2024, I said. The big confusion is should I mark it as a year of sadness? Because before she was gone, she was there and we shared some very loving moments with her, last year we were even celebrating the new year together. In the year 2025, she is not there, the chair she sits on remains empty, but I can’t help but imagine her still sitting there and asking us to live life with all the positivity in the world and I think I am going to do a lot more of that this year and I believe things can be different given how much we are committed to it”
The differences we are looking for usually occur within us, if it’s not joy that you feel from inside, a flower may never grow upon you with its beauty. As many have pointed out across the timeline, it originates within us and flows out spreading out to everything that comes directly or indirectly in contact with us. Hence, what will be different this year? It’s something you better ask yourself.. the perfect answer you are looking for is somewhere in there.
Written by Anuran Chatterji
Early Morning Memories 
2 responses to “What will be different this year?”
Sorry for your loss, may she remain with you in spirit 🙏 many blessings to you this 2025 and beyond!
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We must be masters of our own fates. For me figuring out from my notebooks of the past year what I have done, need to change, and what I have to do then make notes and start making the changes in January and doing the same for the other coming months I can accomplish quite a lot and hopefully where my writing, blogging, and poetry is concerned make this a banner year for myself,
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