New Year’s Eve Day is foggy and warm. My husband and I eat Chinese food for dinner, our decades-old tradition. We drink champagne while we talk to our children and their spouses on Zoom. Our son-in-law’s parents join us, and it’s good to see them, too, after so long. We light the Shabbos candles and speak of what we’re grateful for—that we’re together, healthy, and that our pets are with us, too. This is what we celebrate—life going on, light in the darkness. Later, we say goodbye to 2021. Though 2022 seems scarcely better, who know what the future brings? The sun and moon still rise and set.
And there is champagne.
fog-obscured
river a mystery—
beckoning
For dVerse. Earlier today, I couldn’t get WP to work, and now there’s no problem. Oh, there are definitely WP gremlins!
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Merril, a lovely haibun. This sticks out for me:
“This is what we celebrate—life going on, light in the darkness.”
Cheers!
Thank you very much, Lisa! Cheers to you!
❤ 🙂
I really love the sentiment in this… there is champagne and life is going on.
Thank you so much, Björn. I think so, especially with so much death around.
What a beautiful haibun Merril. Cheers to the things we cherish.
Thank you so much, Linda! Yes, indeed! 🥂
There’s always something to celebrate, and having family and pets around is a celebration of life continuing!
Exactly, Ingrid. Thank you!
“And there is Champagne” –suerly a poem in itself! 😉
Thank you–I suppose it is. 😀
Champagne certainly helps 🙂
having family around is worth celebrating for sure. cheers
Cheers to your traditions, and well done on the poem.
Thank you, Frank!
That is a fantastic haiku to waup it up, Merril. 🙂
Thank you very much, Ken. I really have a difficult time writing haiku, so I appreciate that.
The sun and moon rise and set indeed, and in that familiarity, there is something to be celebrated. Splendid work.
Thank you very much!
“My husband and I eat Chinese food for dinner”
My family would do this too. I remember one Christmas we went into a Chinese restaurant and it was pretty empty lol. Mom and I joke that it’s a Jewish tradition (Chinese food on Christmas), but it really is for us!
Also loved these few lines:
“Though 2022 seems scarcely better, who know what the future brings? The sun and moon still rise and set.”
It feels so comforting, that everything will be alright no matter what. A new day always comes. Really needed to read this today. ❤ This piece is beautifully and evocatively written, I just love it.
And also this golden line:
"And there is champagne."
Always!
What a lovely comment, Lucy. Thank you so much. It’s funny, but we never did the Chinese food at Christmas. I think we did sometimes have lox and bagels though. 😏 I think our tradition just started as something we did with friends when we were first married, and then we continued it.
I’m glad you felt comforted reading this. 💙
Happy New Year!
Ah, lovely, Merril – the connections are so important.
Thank you so much, Sarah!
Well done, Merril; glad you have folks to share with. Thanks for sharing with us, too.
Thank you very much, Ron.!
Cheers to you and yours! Happy new year!
Thank you, Grace. And to you and yours!
I really appreciate your haibun. My favorite part is the haiku.
Thank you so much, Liz. As I mentioned to Ken, I have such a difficult time writing haiku, so I’m very pleased you like it.
You’re welcome, Merril.
Here’s to the mysterious river of the year to come! 🥂
Yes! Thank you. 😀
Light in the darkness…what we all need!
I think so, too. Thank you, Lynn.
Happy New Year, Merril! Delicious tradition you have… and the champagne is a wonderful touch. 🥂 🍾
Thank you, Rose. Happy New Year to you and yours!
The continuum of life. The source of celebration is reason enough to rejoice. Blessed life. Thanks for sharing your joy with me. I celebrate you.
Thank you very much, Selma.
I am pleased you managed this gem
Thank you so much, Derrick!
💞🥂💞 Merril 💞🥂💞
💙
I’m delighted you have reasons to celebrate. May you have many more reasons to be grateful for this year. Happy New Year! 💖
Thank you so much for your kind thoughts. Wishing you a very happy new year, too! 💙
Indeed, may 2022 bring us more to celebrate rather than mourn! I loved this haibun 🙂
Thank you so much! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you too! 🙂
I love the sense of beckoning, this is not permanent, foggy as it all is. Light in the darkness is evocative for me.
Thank you for your lovely comment, Paul!
Sound like the perfect way to bring in the new year. (K)
Thank you very much. It was low-key, but very nice.
Beautifully done Merril. I felt like I was there with you. Bringing light to the darkness is a good plan for 2022.
Thank you for your lovely comment, Dwight!
You are welcome!
Wonderful! I love your celebration!
Thank you so much! 😀
Pleasure!
Lovely! Life going on, light in the darkness. Wonderful reasons to celebrate!
Thank you! Yes, indeed.
Very atmospheric haiku to your piece…
Thank you!
“light in the darkness”, reason enough to rejoice! Definitely a champagne worthy haibun, Merril! ❤️🥂
Thank you so much! ❤️🥂
Reblogged this on The Wombwell Rainbow.
Thank you so much, Paul!
Beautifully stated.
Thank you very much.