< Sleep remains elusive. Environmental controls appear to have developed a will of their own. Inside, the temperature rises; outside, winter tightens its grip.
< I find myself suspended between years, between rest and motion, unsure where to take inspiration for these New Year thoughts.
2026. A new year. A new hope.
It’s 4 a.m. The heating appears to have taken on a mind of its own in this old, dilapidated council estate. The temperatures continue to rise inside the building, even as they diminish outside, in the freezing winter cold of January.
Unsure where to draw inspiration for these New Year’s thoughts. Words feel thicker than molasses.
Time off after the 24th December. No thought-provoking activities. Simply time to be. We often beat ourselves up for not doing something more useful with our time. Until we realise: it is not only when we pack our bags, jump on a train or a plane, and head for the beach or the mountains that we can allow ourselves to pause.
Sometimes we can simply let the wheels spin freely at home. Roues libres, as one of my very close Parisian friends would say. Time. Without giving every single minute of every single day a purpose. A direction. A reason to be.
Allowing ourselves simply to be — and not always to do — is a healthy part of any year. Not just between the years. Not just on holiday.
Why a year of new hope?
Because we have so much to hope for.
Hope that wars end.
Hope that peace is renewed — not only on the political landscape, but also in our own hearts and minds.
Hope that we re-find a sense of purpose, and dedicate an active part of our time to something with meaning.
Hope that the meaning we give to the coming year is not only meaning for ourselves, but also for those around us.
Our neighbours.
Our communities.
Our friends.
Our families.
May 2026 be a year in which we renew our faiths. Our beliefs. Our hopes.
Hope in ourselves.
Hope in others.
Hope in life.
Hope in politics.
Hope in the future.
A brighter future.
A more productive one.
A more generous one.
A more fulfilled one.
Log. End. 04:38 hours.
Discover more from Les absurdités de la vie
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.