What will the new year bring? And what goals should I set for myself?
In twelve years, it is the first time that I neither had to work on Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or any of the other days during this period, nor did I have any other obligations. A luxury in these fast-paced times, one I had long wished for and deeply appreciate. “Christmas time is the quiet time,” as they say in Bavaria (Germany), where I grew up. And I used this peaceful time to reflect on the past year, to draw conclusions, and glimpse carefully into the coming year.
For twelve years, Al-Mustafa in The Prophet by Khalil Gibran had longed for the return of the ship that would take him back to the island of his birth. But on the day of his departure, melancholy overcame him; he had lived in the city of Orfalîs too long to leave it with a light heart. The place, the people, the customs and traditions, and the scents of the streets had become familiar, a home over such a long time. Saying goodbye is hard, and one leaves a part of one’s heart behind in such a place. I felt the same when I moved from Kirkenes to Tromsø last June. I was excited because I would open a new chapter in my life, a new adventure, but after twelve years in Kirkenes, the farewell was not easy for me either. It was a departure into an uncertain future, and even now, I still cannot say where the journey will lead. I had many doubts, but ultimately, the desire for challenges and adventures, to discover new horizons and learn new things, was stronger.
There are twelve Rauhnächte (the twelve mystical nights between the years), and the storm and rain that swept across the land shortly before Christmas took almost as long to calm down. Ample time to look back at the past year and thank it for its gifts and experiences. Ample time to reflect on the new year. I had already sown some seeds last autumn, planting them deep in the soil. Now, it’s a matter of waiting to see if they will sprout later this year.