Bringing in the New Year

Fireworks, photo by Randall Chacon, Santo Domingo, Costa Rica, important celebrationsTonight, everyone the world over is attending a major celebration in their own city, usually involving fireworks, to bring in the New Year. It’s a beautiful event and can include different rituals in different cultures. In Sydney people gather at Sydney Harbour and the Opera House and celebrate watching a firework display for children at 9pm and another more spectacular at midnight. Those who stay at home watch the fireworks on their TVs which means we see celebrations in other parts of the world too.

when my children were small
we watched the fireworks from
our homes in the suburbs and then
after midnight played a friendly card game of 21
this is when we determined our luck for the year
it was thought that if you win it will be
a prosperous year for investments
however, if you lose then it was considered
in your best interests not to take risks
nevertheless, we had fun playing with
family and friends

When Happy Hour means alcoholism

Happy Hours, photo by Emin Ozkan, iZIR, TURKEY, social ritualHow great it is for most people to meet at the end of the day and enjoy two-drinks-for-the-price-of-one with work colleagues or mates. Happy Hour for the majority of people it is just that, but for those who have developed a drinking problem, Happy Hour is anything but happy. For them it means when they join the others, their drinking gets out of control. That’s when Happy Hour means alcoholism. If they are in recovery then usually they avoid that social ritual at the end of the day. Quite a paradox at that, but they have no choice for the sake of their sanity.

Happy Hour had been great as he and his mates
had been winding down after a busy day
he felt in a good mood, therefore, he was
oblivious to the fact that he had bloodshot eyes
and being drunk, his words slurred badly
I gave him feedback on what was obvious and
he admitted that the ideal was that he should
stop after the first few drinks but as he couldn’t
the realisation hit him yet again
he needed to accept the fact that alcohol
was his enemy and not his friend
and that fun with mates can be healthy
but he needs to avoid the ritual of having drinks
when Happy Hour means alcoholism