Listen to an audio recording of Celebration:
Eat, drink and be merry! For it’s not yours alone to carry All the worries and weight Of the world’s woeful state. So, get together while you can and celebrate! Eat, drink, sing and dance! Make good use of every chance To play happy music and sing With clear voices that ring And soar as if they had wings. Eat, drink, enjoy and share With those for whom you care! Open doors and arms wide, Welcome all to come inside And join in by a glowing fireside. Eat, drink, and be grateful For good company and each plateful! Count your blessings and lucky stars, Think of how fortunate you are That life has brought you this far. Eat, drink and embrace! Give generously and with grace! Raise a glass of bubbly or two Now that Old is nearly through, Here's to the hopeful and the New! Eat, drink and rejoice! Really, there’s no better choice Than to laugh, party and play Because at the end of each day who knows what’s coming our way. Eat, drink and be merry! Celebrations are still necessary. If tomorrow we should, Why sacrifice and deny The opportunity to lift spirits high! To my readers: I did not write this poem to suggest that the suffering in Gaza and other war zones should be forgotten, or that we should give up the fight that each of us wages in our own small ways. But we, who are susceptible to the frustration and depression of compassion fatigue, do need to look after ourselves, as renowned trauma therapist Dr. Gabor Maté advises, otherwise we are no good to anyone. And by being good to ourselves and those we love and care about, we can re-arm ourselves and carry on! To all my readers and subscribers, a happy, healthy and hopefully more peaceful and less painful 2025! 🤞🎆
No need to apologize or justify writing about gratitude, appreciation and celebration of what we have been generously given, being always mindful of sharing it with with family, friends and strangers. Happy New Year Diane!
Great advice, Diane! Being positive and celebratory whenever possible, especially for the sake of mental, emotional and spiritual well-being, enhances our ability to fight against the monstrous realities of our times.