In a few days, tens of thousands of people will gather in New York City Times Square to watch the ball drop. Some would even begin to line up as early as 3:00 PM in the cold Big Apple December. The angels of this night are, without doubt, the New York Police Department (NYPD), on duty, away from their families and loved ones, controlling crowds and traffic, ensuring security. This story begins when the ball drops to show 2016 instead of 2017. Only this is not a mistake!

Time is one of the biggest mysteries for humanity. We are unable to define it, and yet, we build theories around it. We have always been incredibly curious about the past and the future, and naturally, the best way to explore that is to be there and live the moment. Ancient scriptures tell us about the first, and maybe the last, true time travels recorded in the history of mankind. It talks about some people who died/slept for 100 or 300 years (without aging), then woke up and experienced life in the future. Although, we know little about their experience, I believe it was enough to spark research and develop this phenomena to reach the stage that we know today.

Now, if you wish to travel to the future or back in time, there are few theories that you could be experimented with. Physicists say that if the math is applied, it should work. Some philosophers argue that if time travel is possible, we would have seen “time tourists” from the future. Right now, I would like to put science aside and fantasize that I am in Times Square New Year’s Eve, where it is snowing lightly on the happy, lovely New York crowds, and wait for the countdown that will fill the city with joy.

The ball dropped. Seriously now?? I traveled thousands of miles to take a selfie with a mistake? I said to myself. A police officer then tapped me on the shoulder and asked, “What is the number you see?” I answered with frustration, “I know!!! Can you believe this?” He answered, “That I do. It’s your turn to believe that you are back in 2016!!” As I turned to check the number again, trying to understand what in God’s name he was talking about, he whispered to me, “Would you make it count though?” When I looked at him, he was looking directly into my eyes with a poker face, and after three seconds of silence, he turned, looked at the ball, tapped his hat and said, “You have 15 minutes.”

A raging flood of thoughts, worth a lifetime, rushed into my head. Now, I have to find myself in 2016. I remember exactly where I was (50^th and Broadway). I approached myself, my heart beating like Japanese war drums, felt my head spinning, having goosebumps every five seconds. I had covered my face with my jacket’s collar, barely showing my eyes, and tilted my head forward, “I need to speak to you,” I said, and uncovered my face slowly. I think it was the trust I had in myself and the transparent mirror of my face that convinced me that it was me, and I was from the future.

I started by saying, “I do not have much time. There is one thing I need you to know.” I looked over my other-self’s shoulder and saw the same police officer approaching, with his eyes fixed on me, and I knew that I only had a few seconds. I desperately wanted to make it count. I put both my hands on my other-self shoulders, grabbed firmly, and shook him. The officer was still approaching through the crowds. As much as I had appreciated the sound of joy a few minutes ago, I was now terrified that my voice could not be heard. I leaned toward my other-self’s ears, keeping my eyes on the officer and said, “Do not numb the pain you will get… feel it… live it…. and…” The officer grabbed and pulled me by my waist with his left arm around it and started walking. My other-self shouted out, “What pain?” I answered at the top of my voice, “Just grieve!!!”

After pulling me a few meters away, the officer, standing in front of me blocking the entire view, looked me in the eye for three seconds and said, “What is the number you see?” I turned, knowing it would be 2017. I glimpsed at the ball, turned back, and saw the officer dressed casually, wearing a New Year pointing hat, jumping and celebrating. I looked at him and said, “Now what?” He put his arm around my shoulder, and said with a smile, “Now we celebrate. I am off-duty today. It’s 2017, remember?” I answered, “That I do. By the way, I left my phone in my other-self’s pocket.” His jaw dropped, along with his smile. Walking backwards, I tapped my Yankees cap, smiled and said, “How do you like them apples?” I then walked away, hands in my pocket, feeling confident, experiencing an inner peace, and smiling from my heart, knowing that I had taken the advice and grieved.

Sir Ken Robinson once said, “If you are not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original.” As time travel is not possible now, mistakes are inevitable, because it’s our nature. Let’s be prepared and treat every mistake as one step closer to success, rather than consuming our energy thinking how it would have been, had we changed it. Happy New Year, 2017!