2016; A Bitter, Yet Sweet Year.

Parting can be such sweet sorrow……unless it’s 2016, in which case it can be severed quicker than Piers Morgan’s bungee cord. Despite merely being a measurable passage of time, 2016 has certainly provoked the collective ire of its passengers, invoking a retinue of disillusionment amongst the public that have expressed their respective intolerance throughout the year. It’s been a tumultuous time riddled with shock and distain that has certainly established itself as a particularly abhorrent 12 months in the modern consciousness due to the sum of its collective parts. It’s been a year steeped in tragedy, death and diminished political credibility. We’ve lost acting greats like Alan Rickman, Gene Wilder and now the sad loss of Carrie Fisher has only compounded the sentiment that 2016 can do one! Prolific musicians such as David Bowie, Prince and Status Quo guitarist Rick Parfitt have all faltered. You have democracy precipitating division in the form of Brexit and respected presidential candidates seemingly absent from the 2016 election. Not even Muhammad Ali could go the distance! And No Man’s Sky painfully failed to capitalise on its granduous potential. The world it seems is eager to see the back of 2016 and have it’s defamatory character stricken from the history books as a blotch readily dismissed. I’ve personally had my fill of conveying eulogized messages or forlorn condolences concerning yet another premature celebrity death, praying that my childhood icons remain unscathed. Though I don’t entirely abide by the accepted principle that a year can be entirely at fault for such prolific disasters, I must admit that there have been a number of provocations that affirms this year’s rather dubious status as modern histories most horrific year.

One of my best friends in school lost his wife to cancer this year at the tender age of 26. I wasn’t able to attend the funeral due to my girlfriend being hospitalised at the time. Cancer once again reared it’s ugly metastatic head when it afflicted my Aunt, who continues to battle this tumour with courageous tenacity. But despite these shocking tragedies, my year has been garrisoned with some pretty substantial moments of joy too. Back in April my girlfriend and I expanded our meager family – which at that point consisted of us, my PlayStation and rather auspicious cutlery set – with the birth of an additional member. Our daughter Rose was born on the 3rd of April, just a couple of days shy of me passing my driving test on the first attempt. It was only a month ago that my daughter uttered her first words; “Da da”. I’ll admit that it was muffled between audible grunts, sighs and innate babbling, but it was there, much to my girlfriends irritation. Even the two games I preordered this year were good, that being Uncharted 4 and Skyrim.

So as much as the year has confounded me on a number of less than desirable incidences, I can’t help but relish just how fortunate I have been. Despite the set backs, the heart-break and the high-profile deaths I can only focus on life, specifically the new life that has blessed me. A light that my girlfriend and I sorely needed this year.

A messy light, I’ll grant you….

Let me know how your 2016 has been. And let me wish you guys all the best for 2017. Cheers!