It's 2026
It's exactly midnight, and the sky bursts with color as fireworks light up the dark heavens. The air is filled with the sound of laughter, shouting, and cheers as men, women, and children scream in unison, "Happy New Year!" The world around me is alive with celebration, but here I am, tucked in my bed, half-awake, with a cold and fever weighing me down. I can barely bring myself to join in the revelry. I wonder to myself, "What’s there to be happy about?" The world may be dancing and shouting, but I feel isolated, disconnected from all the noise. Then, as I lay there in the quiet of my room, a thought strikes me—a reminder that I am truly blessed. I am still here. I have made it into the year 2026, while many others haven’t. It’s a humbling thought. I whisper softly to myself, “Happy New Year,” and, in my heart, I send a prayer of gratitude for the gift of life, for the opportunity to see another year. But then, another thought comes rushing in, one that makes m...
