New Year's Eve with friends

So many times we've sung the song whose meaning of ending also means begin again. And now once more it's time for the convening of friends who know us now and knew us when the years were longer in their joy, and fewer in their accumulation. Now once more we make a night seem starrier and bluer; we give the present all that went before. And sing (though some are absent) celebration for blessings of those years that we recall, glad there's a time for this sweet validation of friendship . . . while the clock chimes on the wall, hands overhead, victorious - a showing of, Made it this far! Now to keep on going!