Traditionally my wife and I spend New Year’s Day at home, sleep late and have lunch with a couple of friends – Jairo and Anete – who bring all the lunch – which consists mainly of sliced heart of palm baked in plenty of garlic, onions and swimming in olive oil. Awesome.

This year, however, all tradition has gone out of the window. My mother-in-law travelled to the northwestern part of São Paulo state to spend a few days with her youngest son. She had to be at the airport at 7 am… we couldn’t find a taxi to pick her up, so we had to wake up early and surprise her – here’s her face – we hadn’t told her it would be us who’d be driving her to the airport or she’d have said: “Oh then I’ll go by bus, I’ll crawl to the aiport. Don’t you worry about me.”

Anete on Sunday, when leaving a restaurant, stepped into a hole on the sidewalk and broke her foot – so Jairo and Anete cancelled our traditional lunch. I thought, well… if Mohammed can’t come to the mountain so, let’s get this mountain moving. My Sweetheart prepared an awesome HEART OF PALM pie and brown rice. And we drove to their home and surprised them. It was a joy. Creating an event out of a non-event.

Me and Sweetheart enjoying the honor of making friends feel special

Jairo and Anete – really enjoying the surprise

A while ago Anete had mentioned she’d like to read “Pride and Prejudice” in English in order to develop her language skills. Guess what I gave her as a “belated” Christmas present. And now she’ll have time to read.

Last night during the New Year’s Service at church, the pastor said something that stayed with me. He said: “Forecasters, fortunetellers, and experts have been called to say that 2015 will be a difficult year for us: economically, maybe you will lose your job. What will happen to your health? Plans? All odds point to difficulties ahead. But these are all opportunities for you to do good to someone in 2015”.

So dear readers, that’s what I wish to y’all: A year full of good deeds thus making life a better experience.

Let’s all get aboard on this time journey.

Cheers,

Mo