Ring Out the Old, Ring In the New

From *In Memoriam*
by Alfred Lord Tennyson (England 1809-1892)

"Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow;
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the world that is to be."


I wish you all a happy new year. A new year in which peace and fairness can prevail in the world. A new year in which more children will get enough to eat and be able to go to school. A new year in which more people will have a chance to make something out of their lives.
A New Year is the opportunity to start anew, to make resolutions, to try to do things better, to live healthier etc. For me it is the start of a *new age*, as I have just retired, had a rather advanced birthday, and am looking for new opportunities to *do my own thing*, which means crafting, painting, being creative, giving courses and going to courses to get - and stay - in contact with other people.
In the past year I have unfortunately lost a lot of old friends, people who have been a part of my life for many years, and they cannot be replaced. But I have also made new friendships, which have opened up new possibilities and horizons, and given new impulses and ideas. I find that change is always difficult to accept, but the opposite of change is stagnation, and that is a horrible vision! As long as we are alive we can grow, learn, change and start anew.
In the last few days I was rather *down*, wondering if things will turn out as I hope they will. But now I can face the new year with confidence, ready to take things as they come, and to do my best to make them as I would like them to be.

Happy New Year, especially to my friends in England on the DC Forum, who have given me such a lot of support, encouragement and love in the past year. Happy New Year to my friend B, who is also starting out anew, good luck, I know you can do it!

Happy New Year to you all.