“This New Year is going to be better! I just know it,” Sierra exclaimed to her little brother as she looked out of her bedroom window, seeing all the different colours of fireworks in the sky.

“That’s what you said last year too,” Sierra’s little brother, Hamad replied to her in a bored tone.

Sierra only made a face at her brother in reply and continued looking out of the window, ignoring him. It was after a few minutes when the fireworks had died down a little bit when Sierra’s and Hamad’s mother came into their room.

“Why are you children awake? It’s midnight already. You both have school tomorrows,” she asked in a disappointing tone.

“We did lay down to sleep, but the noise of fireworks woke us up, and then we started discussing our New Year resolutions,” Sierra replied as she went and laid her head down in her mother’s lap.

“And what did you guys conclude?” mother asked softly while slowly moving her hand through Sierra’s hair, lovingly.

“I told Hamad that this year would be better, but he is being so pessimistic,” Sierra snitched on Hamad, who in return stuck his tongue out at her.

“She always has the same New Year resolutions every year, Mama. ‘I will get slim this year, I will buy this thing this year, I will get good grades and blah, blah’,” Hamad mimicked Sierra’s voice as he mocked her.

“So what? It’s better than having resolutions such as getting a good gaming PC, or getting the Star Wars toy collection complete! And I do get better grades than you every year!” and thus in no time both of them started fighting.

“Hamad! Sierra!” their mother interrupted their bickering. When both of them paid her attention, she continued in a polite voice, “These are very ordinary resolutions, you children should think big. How about being more charitable this year? Or being more helpful towards the people? Especially with those who are in need and to those whom you children meet every day, like your classmates and teachers? How about being more kind to the environment?”

“And continuing the boycott and praying for a ceasefire?” Hamad inserted.

“And raising our voices against those who hurt others?” Sierra continued.

Their mother smiled politely at them and encouraged, “Exactly, my sweet children.”

“We should start raising money for the poor and needy. Giving even ten rupees daily won’t affect us, but it will surely affect someone’s life,” Sierra said.

Later, lying in bed, Sierra said to Hamad, who was laying in his own bed at the other end of the room, thinking too.

“Yes! Maybe we can collect money to buy someone a blanket this winter who needs it? Or we can help a food delivery guy to pay his parents medical bills or his tuition fees,” Hamad replied.

“Exactly! The possibilities are endless. This year is really going to be better,” Sierra said as she yawned. She was getting sleepy now.

“I agree, but maybe you should also continue with your resolution of getting slim,” Hamad chuckled at his sister. He knew that this time he didn’t get a punch to his face only because Sierra had fallen asleep and didn’t hear what he said or else he wouldn’t have been forgiven so easily.

Published in Dawn, Young World, January 4th, 2025