It's A Date

1 Muharram 1435

Once upon a time the fifth of November simply meant gunpowder, treason and plot. And a jolly good time lighting the bonty and all the fireworks lovingly acquired in the weeks previous, and gazed at every evening whilst imagining the joys ahead. Of course, the fireworks were never quite as spectacular as you had pictured they should be and they were soon gone, as was the bonfire - but none of that mattered somehow. You were going to have a great time and you did have a great time.

By the way, all this had ended for everyone by the time I got to university. The powers that be had discovered just how dangerous all the local, small bonfires were and banned them. Firework displays became genuinely spectacular but highly regulated. You didn't get up close and personal with your roman candle anymore. Life became safer and a lot less interesting.

Somewhere along the way we eventually found out that the guy we ceremonially burnt each year was symbolic of English hatred of papists, and since we, or some of us, were papists this was a bit awkward, but that didn't stop us burning ours with glee.

And now here I am in a foreign land which feels like home, enjoying the idea that today marks the turning of a lunar year and we can all welcome 1435, hoping it will be a good one. All dates have possibilities and are open to the making of memories. It's good to look back and it's good to look forward and it's good just to be present for both.