Blue, I watched a bit of the television coverage of the festivities in New York City and Washington on television, since of course it was only 9:00 pm here. I was struck by how beautiful the the new Waterford crystal ball was in New York City, how bright and shimmering. Ireland is the center of the universe! (Okay, that is just my opinion.)
The celebration at the Washington Monument seemed very gloomy and subdued. I understand that everyone was smashed together and could not move around, which may explain why there was quite a bit less smiling and cheering. I thought the New Zealand celebrations, with the Maori rituals, were compelling. Watching intermittently through the day, I thought about how great it would be if the spinning planet could be manufactured to revolve as a piece of art, with the fireworks, Ferris wheels and monuments replicated, going off one after the other so that the viewer could watch repeatedly, from the vista of the night sky.
What was really lovely to see, as you have remarked, was the enthusiasm of young people everywhere. I hope the overwhelming peace and excitement of the celebrations is a vibe which will carry over into the coming years all over the globe. |
