ADIEU TO 2011

Once again, we say adieu to a year that seemed to have just passed by us so quickly and it is time now to usher in yet another. Each year we wish and pray for peaceful days ahead, free from turmoil, war, natural disasters. Some folks happily attend parties, family get-together, large social gatherings in communities irrespective of caste or religion to celebrate the new year. Some may be thinking of their loved ones who were with them in the last year, and as fate has it, many of us do not with us today those that we loved to share in those happy moments of yesteryear.

We cherish the good old days when we attended New Year’s Eve Ball and house parties that followed. That was the norm. Today as we are much older, we can’t help but reminisce about the good old days, and the good times we had then and those that we shared with our friends, some of whom sadly are not longer with us. Some times I tend to ask myself why we refer to those days as the good old days. Conversely, I believe that the days are the same, the only difference being that we are getting older.

Poignantly though and quite aptly, some of us may reminisce once again in forming a circle with our friends at the Ball, waiting for the count-down at the stroke of midnight and singing ‘Auld Lang Syne’.

At the same time, in true fashion of “Old Long Ago’ we take time to re-kindle cherished memories of our loving Fredrick and Benny Barboza and all other dear departed relatives and friends.

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and days of old lang syne.

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.