Revelry
I was standing in Chop Suey, with a great friend, anticipating a New Years Eve party. This Seattle club has an ersatz Chinese vibe, complete with a ceremonial parade dragon hanging on the ceiling and kitshy artifacts spread artfully about. And of course it pays a loose homage to Bruce Lee, a Seattle son.
Lonely single women were lingering on the dance floor, hoping for a good catch for the evening. Groups of gender confused men loitered about with politically-correct women friends. The people ran the gamut from homogeneous yuppies to grungy Seattle rockers. They were all waiting to celebrate something. Even though this was New Year’s Eve, I fear they still did not know what.
This night, Dudley Manlove Quartet would be headlining to usher in the next 365 days. They are a musical cultural archive of sorts, dusting off old songs from one hit wonders and playing them with relish and lounge-y swagger. (Did I mention they were a quintet?) The crowd would be pleased.
The opening act played with energy, getting the crowd warmed up. And of course, the booze flowed. So much so that at the end of the evening the entire floor was slippery with champagne and Bud Lite. My leather-soled Italian shoes made the floor an ice rink. It was all I could do to not topple upon the legions of tipsy revelers.
It was good to have fun and dance. People were mostly in control of their faculties. Actually, it was a kick in the pants. But people were partying just to party.
What is the New Year really? Resolutions unkept. More of the same. One day follows another. And if your soul is not secure, then a new year does not automatically mean it’s suddenly healed of its pains. A new year fails to meet any definition of new beginnings.
My life will go on. The only new beginnings and redemption I receive will flow from the Fount Of God. Heck, it could be April 12th for all it matters to us. The same hardships still plague us and challenges befall us. Only through God and His infinite provision will our days be made new.
I don’t mean to be cynical here (though admittedly, life has not been easy from me lately). But I want to be realistic — January 1st is part of the process for everyone. Another day we are in need of redemption. Sure, its fun to celebrate, but I lament that we don’t know what to celebrate. Maybe its time we get back to celebrating the Kingdom of God here and now and creating rhythms based on even the smallest blessing we have in life. Maybe we need to get up and celebrate that we have breath each day and that we have the astounding privilege of lavishing God’s grace on others. I dunno.
So with all that in mind, Happy New Year anyway. I said it because everyone else is. But what I really wish you is a blessed moment, that builds upon another, and yet another, in perpetuity — a moment that God has infused with His love and blessing. Moments becoming days and months and years that are so blessed that even the hardest road we may be on ends in healing and fulfillment. We all need it, it’s just a matter of how much. I hope to revel in that.
