2017 walked into the large gray structure before him. He was retired. His time was up. 2018 was taking over. People were saying terrible things about him. They were acting like everything that happened while he was in charge was his fault. Everyone was looking forward to the next year like things could only get better. Needless to say, 2017 did not feel good about this. He heaved a sigh of disappointment and made his way to the front desk.
"Hello," welcomed the cheery receptionist with an all-to-prominent smile. "Welcome to the Annual Retirement Center. How can I help you?"
"Uh, yeah," 2017 sighed. "I'm 2017. I guess I need to check in or something."
"Oh! It's great to have you!" The receptionist replied with excessive enthusiasm. "We've been expecting you. Took a while to decide to come in, huh? That's pretty normal. Retirement can be a real ordeal for some years."
"Just some years?" 2017 self-consciously inquired.
"Well," the receptionist responded with her voice thick with understanding. "Some years are just ready to retire. For instance, 1941 and 2001 couldn't wait to get checked in. They had such exhausting careers. The 1920's, however, were angry to be retiring. They just wanted to keep in roaring. The Great Depression put things into perspective for them real quick."
"I see," 2017 replied as he signed the paperwork on the desk before him. "Thanks."
The receptionist nodded as the newly retired year made his way towards a vacant rocking chair in the center of the room. He sank into the chair and closed his eyes. He had a hard career in a lot of ways, but he thought he had done well. There were a lot of people who had a great year but their accolades had been drowned out by all the complaints of the unsatisfied customers. A lot of people were born in his year, but all people were talking about were the lives that had expired.
"It's not like I choose who's up for expiration," 2017 muttered under his breath. "I get my orders from the Minister of Lifetime Durations just like every other year. I just have to do what I'm told."
The fact of the matter is that for every bad thing that happened under his watch, there were two or three good things that happened. People just don't always see the good.
"Hey there," 2017's train of thought was interrupted. "You're new here. You must be 2017."
"Yup, that's me," 2017 replied as he turned towards the stranger. "The worst year in history."
The whole room erupted in laughter, much to 2017's surprise.
"I'm 2016," the year held out his hand in friendship. "I'm the previous owner of that title. This right here is 2015. He claimed that title before me. The fact of the matter is, there are precious few residents of this establishment that haven't been labeled as the worst year ever. All the way back to 2000 B.C., when Adam and Eve decided to eat the forbidden fruit, people have been looking forward to the next year after 'the worst year in history.' It's human nature."
"He's not kidding," a particularly weathered year chimed in. "One minute, people were hailing me as the year that brought the most significant technilogical advancements in history. The next, they were condemning me for being the year that saw the most collateral loss of life in a war."
"I'm sorry, but I don't recognize you," 2017 addressed the old year. "What's your name?"
"1945," the year responded. "The thing is, both statements are true, to a certain extent."
"You're the year that saw the creation and use of the atomic bomb?" 2017 questioned. "How do you live with that? People have been questioning those decisions for decades."
1945 shrugged as 2016 chimed in.
"It's not his fault," he explained. "We are all just time that has run out. Everyone here is 365 or 366 days that existed purely for the use of humanity. None of us got to choose how we were used. That's up to the people. We were just a resource that humanity tapped for good and evil. 1859 saw the commercialization of oil in the United States. People hailed him as a hero among years. Now their blaming him for global warming. 1993 saw the creation of the European Union. People thought he was great. Now they're not so sure. There are a lot of years that were hailed as great who now exist in the disdain of humanity."
"Why is that?" 2017 questioned as he shook his head.
"People are fickle," 1989 replied. "People are always looking ahead to the next big thing. I oversaw the invention of the flip phone."
"The what?" 2017 asked, dumfounded.
"Exactly," 1989 laughed. "One upgrade after another and suddenly the flip phone is a relic of history. Human beings have developed into an upgrade species. The worst part is that they see all upgrades as good. With the rise of the smart phone, true human interaction has declined to record lows. But people don't see the dangers because they've 'upgraded.' 2018 is just the next upgrade, therefore, in the minds of the people, he must be better than you."
"Will he be better than me?" 2017 self consciously asked of the years around him.
"Well, look around you," 2007 replied from his place at the pool table. "You're surrounded by thousands of years who were supposed to be better than the last. Precious few of us are, at no fault of our own. As '16 said, we're just a commodity at the disposal of humanity. It's up to them."
"I'll tell you one thing," 1517 interjected. "They're never going to make anything of 2018 without God. The problem with humanity is that they keep trying to make each year better than the last without help from the source of all good. The world has had some great years, but these years were not great purely on the merit of those living at the time. The only one who can make the years great is the one living outside of time. The greatest years here are the ones that saw the most dedicated service to the Lord of the universe."
"People don't believe in God anymore," 2017 argued. "The days of Martin Luther are long gone."
"I'm going to have to disagree with you on that one," came an interjection from the far corner.
"Who are you to disagree with me?" 2017 inquired with impatience thick in his voice. "I literally just retired. I should know what people believe in."
"I'm 54 AD," the year replied patiently. "I have the unfortunate distinction of watching Nero come to power in Rome. I was forced to watch as he destroyed my legacy by brutally killing everyone who claimed to follow God. I spent many a sleepless night assuming that this brand new religion was quickly entering into extinction. But Christianity is the largest religion in the world. Do you know why that is? It's because people still believe in God."
"So," 2017 sighed, having been soundly put in his place by the years around him. "What's the play? What's retirement like for us?"
"Here's the play, '17," 2016 replied with an encouraging smile. "We root for the home team. We're history. We're here for people to look back on. 2018 doesn't have a chance of being the best year ever unless we are available for humanity to learn from. As the saying goes, those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. And let me tell you, there are a lot of us who have an uncanny resemblance to each other. Maybe, just maybe, enough people will look back and enough people will trust God to make 2018 one of the greats by the time he joins us in retirement."
