New Year

Ding-dong,

2021 was quietly drawing to a close,

and after making it through

a year of wind, frost, rain, and snow,

we had finally reached the end of the year.

And,

the New Year

we had longed for most.

This year,

we had witnessed the pandemic arrive.

Together, we had experienced

lockdown.

Together,

we watched Lanzhou,

once bustling and flourishing,

gradually grow quiet.

Streets that had once teemed with people

seemed to empty out in the blink of an eye.

Quiet,

so terribly quiet.

Fortunately,

thanks to our perseverance,

the most perilous days

were behind us.

Let's keep going,

and look toward the future.

As the old year gave way to the new,

the streets,

which had still been so quiet,

began to show the faintest hint of New Year cheer.

That tiny hint

breathed life back into everything.

At this moment,

through our actions,

and the customs unique to our people,

let's sweep away the gloom of 2021,

and let the sunshine fall on every one of our faces.

Let our troubles and unhappiness gradually fade away.

Let the first breeze of the coming year

blow it all away.

Let our new year

begin again,

with a brand-new outlook,

as we face a whole new year.

Let us

become better versions of ourselves.

Believe it—

let's give it our all next year.

Let's confidently call out to the past,

"Goodbye."

Let's cheerfully call out to the future,

"Come on!"

Keep going,

young people.

Toward the future that belongs to us,

let's press on,

for those who love us, and those we love,

let's give it our all!

At this special moment,

let love fill our hearts.

Let's say to the one we love,

"I love you!"

A note from the author