I imagine the world turning, one big celebratory spin today. With each increment in the rotation, an hourly slice of humanity launches fireworks off the face of the earth. Reaching out to the sky. Wide eyed. Reaching for someone to kiss, something to drink. Some other people decide to reach inward, towards their own center, their family. Some perform rituals. Some ignore them.

The world turns, and each section of the planet takes its first collective breath of our next collective tour around the sun. We will do this journey together. Animals, friends, loved ones will expectedly or unexpectedly leave us this new year. Babies will join us. Politicians will be elected. Others will topple. Devastating things will happen. Brillant things will happen. We as 2016 human beings may have decided to classify ourselves by ever-changing definitions of race, divide ourselves by religion-based teams, wall-up ourselves for peace, arm ourselves and attack others for the sake of safety, exhaust ourselves on 1st world and 3rd world problems… none-the-less, we will go around the sun together.

And today the unhealthy planet that we have treated so poorly is treating us to something special by physically tilting each of us into this new year in our own time.

Today, I got up for a 10 am haircut and blowout for NYE. I had an appointment with my longtime buddy Jason at Robert Jeffrey Hair Studio, Lakeview. I walked to the bus stop. The sun rays were out strong, offering their services to the earth, but the Chicago concrete seemed to be refusing it. This got me thinking about the concept of offering, acknowledging and receiving. Taking in the goodness of what the world offers.

A slight breeze was briskly chill on my cheeks. I tucked in my poorly-gloved hands like a wintery Mary Katherine Gallagher. It wasn’t too bad. Bright and calm. And it was the last morning of 2015, and now that morning has passed. Wow, time goes fast.

On the walk home, as the last noontime of the year settled in, I looked down and something caught my attention. A bunch of blue glitter in some day-old snow, glistening blue on glistening white. You should have seen it. A broken jar of blue glitter spilt and scattered. I stood there for a moment, soaking in this simple sight. As I pushed the button on my iPhone camera app, the phone shut down from lack of battery. So I stood there longer taking a mental picture.

A few days ago, when I posted online about my long struggle to end the use of Blackface and racist caricature at the Cairo Opera, a Facebook friend who often has opposing views left a comment instructing me to “Get a life.” I am pretty sure he meant it insultingly.

But getting a life is actually a great intention for 2016. Being active in the getting, receiving.

3..2..1.. and a here we go! Another collective journey around the sun. Get it!

Why 2016 is Already More Amazing Than 2015