The Sister Years (From "Twice Told Tales")

"The Sister Years (From 'Twice Told Tales')" by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a tale where Time takes center stage as the Old Year, world-weary and laden with experience, shares a contemplative moment with her bright-eyed and hopeful younger sister, the New Year, on the steps of the City Hall; in their exchange, the weight of bygone days filled with political unrest, vanished dreams, and the quick passage of human efforts clashes against the New Year's unwavering faith in bringing joy and understanding to humanity, demonstrating the contrast between regret and anticipation as the prior year prepares her departure.