Hope for the New Year
As we approach the
beginning of a New Year, we are instinctively forced to reflect on what the
past 12 months have brought us – the good, the bad and the ugly. For some, this
is time of celebration, of rejoicing at what they have achieved, for some it is
a time to remember those they have lost, while for others it is a time of fear
and apprehension as they anxiously anticipate what the new year will bring.
I belong in the
latter camp.
I don’t like change.
I haven’t since I was very little. The very thought of something changing fills
me with dread. I immediately go into fight or flight, with adrenaline coursing
through every capillary and butterfly wings beating so hard that my abdomen has
its own heartbeat, threatening to take over at any second.
New Year is a time of
change, with a new date, new routines, new diaries and worst of all the
pressure for new resolutions. Over a 24-hour period everyone it seems, makes a
resolution to change something they feel they need to improve in their lives.
From exercise to diet, from romance to relationships and from work to personal
goals, no aspect of life seems safe from these changes.
To get through, I
transport myself into another world through books and plays.
In fictional worlds,
I am someone else, living in a different time, who doesn’t need to deal with
these changes because more often than not, they have much more serious
situations to deal with. The words on the page come to life in my head and I
feel as if I am part of the story visible on the page in front of me. I am an
eyewitness, seeing first hand as events unfold, travelling from county to
country living a thousand different lives, none of which actually involve me.
By the time I am finished reading, the bells have chimed and its just another
day.
Last week, as part of
the programme, I read A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller depicting the
lives of a close-knit immigrant community in Brooklyn, which beautifully
portrays the disastrous consequences when love drives you to violate your moral
values. One line that really stuck with me was; “You can quicker get back a
million dollars that was stole than a word that you gave away.”
The concept of
words being powerful was reinforced when I later read The Curious Incident of
the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. This book details the life of a young
autistic male, who, like me, finds the world a curious and often confusing
place to live in. Early in the book, Haddon writes, “I find people
confusing…the first main reason is that people often do a lot of talking
without using any words.” I found it interesting that in both texts, it was
individuals from marginalised communities for whom words meant so much and held
so much power – even when they went unspoken.
2020 for me, is a
momentous year. This year I am turning 21, will finish my college course, will
be working close to full time hours in a job that I love and best of all, will
be exploring my creativity through playwrighting. I am constantly inspired by
the genius of playwrights and authors who are able to make words come alive,
constantly in awe of their ability to create such vivid realities.
As I don’t like
change and don’t really understand resolutions, I am starting this year with a
playwriting inspired hope instead. My hope for this year is to learn how to use
words that inspire love, courage, acceptance and change. I hope t
So here goes... wish me luck!
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