It’s New Year’s Eve and a sunny but cold day in Wuhan. It’s my habit to celebrate New Year in the traditional Scottish way, as much as is possible for me in Wuhan. This year that comes down to drinking whisky so late this evening I’ll have ‘a wee dram’. I bought a 12 year old Ballantyne’s about a month ago and will drink some of it tonight in memory of my Dad, who worked in the distillery as an electrician before we emigrated to Australia in 1963.
I’m also doing the traditional thing in that I am reviewing some aspects of my life and thinking what I can do with my future as I move towards my sixties, won’t be too many years now. Will I find a way to travel on and fulfill my dream of seeing many countries or will I content myself with China for a while longer and then go back to have a quiet life in Oz?
Can I learn from my mistakes and make myself a better person? I am happy that I have done some good things in this world but have a strong desire to continue and continue to learn and maybe make more contributions and help at least some lives happier. That will also make mine happier. I wish the same for all of you.
May you learn from your past and never be afraid to see your faults so you can grow in wisdom. May you take care of yourself and eat and drink wisely, learning to look after the wonderful vehicle you call your body so it will carry you comfortably for many years. May you have lots of friendship and love in your life, including friends who will tell you openly and as gently as possible when you have gone astray from your best path, then support you in making amends. May you see behind the curtains of this world to the greater reality behind it all and may your path be governed by that reality. May you always dedicate yourself to peace.
Happy New Year to all of you.