D-WORDSLAYER

It is Old Year's day . The day before the new year begins and back then there was the anticlimactic feeling, that tomorrow would bring a new day. For many years my dreams for the new year would be that my life would be different somehow. It seems that child I was - wanted and embraced change because of the unknown.. Old year's day had so much activity and waiting. I looked forward to hearing the fireworks, screams of "Happy New Year" and sometimes watched the television with my eldest sister - waiting on midnight. At the stroke of midnight we would hug and share greeting with anyone who was awake. Then the New Year began with a sweet sleep! It was the 'bussing (bursting) of bamboo' which brought the new year in for a long time - it was and still is a 'Trini thing'! When I was fully aware of fireworks and their colors we would look out of our window, my sisters and I and make wishes on the lights as they streamed into the sky's oblivion...

Ending any year can be a reflective process. It is drawing near, the time to share a message to close off one year and start another. This makes me think about an eclipse. As the blocking, shadowing or covering of something which will be revealed again- is like a rebirth. Can this be the way we end one year and enter into the new unknown? Getting past the last twelve month period is something  longed for and dreaded at the same time. I knew where I was and the changes. People and events changed, but the future is shrouded in a veil of darkness or maybe it’s overflowing with light. It slowly comes from its shadowed past to reveal a difference if we let the light in. The eclipse It did hoover and gently move to the side To show its beauty, it timed the reveal The darkness on show was of a great appeal The riches it gathered, was never its glory Under the cover of time, the glow became dim The shadows engraved the earth with its weight But the woods could not h...

After Boxing Day things did not slow down. There was always a lot of discussions about what the adults would wear on Old Year's night to church or a party. While we were never directly a part of the Old Year's night / New Year's day gala, it was a time us kids were happy with the excitement and frenzy of shopping and getting ready! I loved the times my mom spent shopping for the right dress or fabric to make something beautiful for that one night. Mom loved Elizabeth Taylor and GiGi ( Zsa Zsa ) Gabor two very stylish actresses and her style was from their template! The parties to celebrate the end of the old year were glitzy and shiny, and she seemed to look forward to the event in anticipation annually. Maybe she was hoping Santa would send her a real prince to replace the last one ( resisting the urge to call him a toad)! My mother could sew like a fashion designer, and maybe part of my creative nature comes from seeing her make her 'Cinderella' dresses to...