2025 is GONE!
The Closing of the Year
Greetings,
Here we sit, just a few hours away from the turning of the clock as we move into 2026. I see many of my contemporaries posting about their accomplishments and successes of 2025, almost bragging about their good fortune. I don’t say that in a disparaging tone … in fact this Substack started out with that same goal in mind, but for anyone who really knows me … they know I just can never do that. For one, I am always looking forward, never back and secondly I just don’t like patting myself on the back … it goes against my nature. Maybe it’s a character flaw or something … I just don’t celebrate myself, so I won’t be doing that with this post.
In this space between Christmas and New Year’s Day, every year for literal decades the same song rattles around in my head, almost on repeat. Anyone who has followed me on social media no doubt has seen me post about it over the years. The song is actually a Christmas tune from the long forgotten 1992 Barry Levinson film … Toys. While this kooky Robin Williams project was a box office failure, I did see it in theaters way back in 92. As a student of film at the time - I was struck by the artistry on display along with it’s strange soundtrack, which I bought on CD as Specs music (ask your parents) the next day. It’s a unique mix of songs from the movie, not really giving a 90s vibe but something more universal. The first track is the one I am focusing on here … The Closing of the Year by Wendy & Lisa.
Written by Trevor Horn and Hans Zimmer the song opens with these hauntingly sung lyrics …
If I cannot bring you comfort, then at least I bring you hope, for nothing is more precious, than the time we have …
… and so …
We all must learn from small misfortune, count the blessings that are real.
No matter what I’m going through … I find comfort and hope in this song.
This year I’m closing out 2025 with no clear plan for how the next year will roll out. Just 30 days ago I knew exactly what the future looked like and in an instant all that changed. At first that sudden and sharp turn, sent me reeling, I honestly felt lost and confused for the first time in a while. There is another line from the song that I also find meaning in …
We’ll fly in the arms of time, walk in the waves, never fall … don’t fall.
I do feel like I am walking against the waves here, that forces are working to push me back … but that’s giving me strength to push forward with even more resolve. So while I still don’t have everything worked out … I’m doing my best to learn from small misfortunes and count the blessings that are real - here at the closing of the year.
I encourage everyone of you to do the same … leave the failures of 2025 behind you and embrace 2026 with love and hope for a better tomorrow … after all tomorrow is the start of a whole new year.
Thank you for indulging me in this end of year rambling … but I wanted to end things with a message of hope that has been in my head since 1992.
Let me wish each and every one of you a happy, healthy, and successful -
COSMIC NEW YEAR!
Martin