My word: A second chance at 2018

As Constance looked down at the street from the roof of the tallest building in the city, she wondered why she felt so empty. After all, she had achieved so much this year. She could practically put a tick next to everything she had wanted to do.

But as she watched the crowd start to fill the square below, in anticipation of the display of fireworks that had been on everyone’s lips in the last few days, she suddenly got the feeling that she didn’t have much to celebrate. She was exhausted.

She settled onto the comfortable window seat, took off her shoes, stretched out her feet and covered herself with the shimmery shawl that had draped her shoulders. Then she stared at the lights in the distance, lost in her own thoughts.

Out of nowhere, an odd-looking elderly man appeared before her. He looked like he was part of the entertainment crew but she hadn’t seen him on stage during the performance.

“You can go back to the beginning of the year, you know. All you have to do is flip this coin and you’re there. You can go back and fix all the mistakes you made,” Constance looked at the man’s outstretched hand and back at his smiling face as he added, “But on one condition, you will have to relive every obstacle, every heartache, every failure, every moment of embarrassment, fear or pain. It’s your choice!”

Constance looked back at her year and realised that she would rather move forward than go back. Nothing was worth going through all that again. Besides, there was no guarantee that she would get the same results. As she counted her achievements, triumphs and blessings one by one, she realised she wasn’t willing to let them go. She actually felt very grateful for them now.

“No, thank you!”

“No thank you, what?” Constance opened her eyes and looked up to see her best friend standing there, looking puzzled. She realised she had fallen asleep and had been dreaming.

Chuckling to herself, she said to her friend, “I’ll tell you later. Let’s go celebrate!”