New Year, New Possibilities, Old Year, Old Possibilities

Billie the Cat and Seymour the Swan were waiting for the ball to drop. They were waiting for the ball to drop because as per traditions the ball dropping signified the beginning of a new year and a new year means new possibilities.

The two friends liked new possibilities. They were so much more interesting than old possibilities. Old possibilities were just so familiar, and normal and lame. Not like new possibilities, which were fresh and vibrant and fun.

“If you could have only one new possibility what would it be?” Billie the Cat asked.

“Wow, that’s a great question,” Seymour responded, “I’m going to need to think about it for a second.”

Seymour and Billie sat quietly. They both loved the idea of new possibilities but neither had given much thought to what kind of new possibilities they were looking for.

“Do you want to go first?” Seymour asked Billie.

“Oh no thank you,” Billie responded, “You go first, I’ll think of mine after I hear yours.”

This made Seymour both nervous and suspicious. Why did Billie want to hear her answer first? Was Billie waiting to hear Seymour’s answer and then try to one-up her? Was Billie just going to piggyback off of Seymour’s answer and then try to steal her new possibility for her own? What was up with this?

Seymour stopped herself. She was overthinking and she knew it. She needed to leave her overthinking in the old year, with the old possibilities. She was staring down the barrel at a new year fast approaching anyway.

But the ball hadn't dropped yet so she figured why not have one last go with her old possibilities...

"Why can't you go first?" Seymour asked Billie, "Are you going to try to steal whatever new possibility I can come up with?"

"No," Billie replied, "But I already know what my new possibility is and I'm hoping we have the same one, but I don't want to influence whatever your new possibility is going to be."

The ball had begun its descent. The old year was ending, the new one was about to begin, and these two were still stuck on the last question of the old year.

"Fine..." Billie sighed, "My new possibility is..."

"No, no, no, wait... I want to do mine!" Seymour interrupted.

The ball continued its descent, 30 seconds away.

"I want to leave my anxiety and silly self-thoughts in the old year, and the new possibilities are whatever that brings." Seymour replied, "There I said it now you go!"

15 seconds from ball drop.

"Well..." Billie started, "Mine's the same, to be honest."

10 seconds...

"Really?" Seymour was indignant, "Well then why didn't you go first?"

5 seconds...

"Because I didn't want you to steal my idea either." Billie replied.

0 seconds. Happy New Year!

The two friends sat in the new year, which was only a few seconds old at this point.

"So if we had the same answer why did I have to go first?" Seymour asked.

"Well, because I asked the question..." Billie answered.

"Oh... That's a fair point, wish I would have asked that before I went off in a spiral." Seymour realized.

"Well, glad we had this talk then," Billie continued, "We're starting on the right foot. Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year, friend."