Winding.

Winding. The word means several things:  to traverse on a curving course; to turn the course of, especially to lead a person as one wishes; or to turn end for end, among other meanings.

As a a period or a year nears its ends, or a projects comes to its completion, we usually say, we are winding down our work. Financial books are closed, inventories are taken, and final reports are written.

On my way to Manila, my seatmate was a young man from Argentina who was studying Japanese in Tokyo. Our conversation centered on Manny Pacquiao who I guess has drawn countless fans from across the globe.  This young Argentinian was winding his studies in Tokyo.

In the plane from Tokyo were Filipinos coming home for the holidays - contract workers who were probably winding their contracts and then starting fresh ones or those on their yearly vacations.

In personal relationships, we take stock of what's happening whether it's bad or good, and then we feel, analyze and take action - we either stick it out, revive it, or put an end to it or wind it up.

The year 2009 is finally winding down.  And just like many endings, people are oftentimes forced to make earthshaking finales, as if that will make things better.  Just look at all those major family purchases which sometimes burn family budgets, or the un-affordable gifts people buy in order to make the year-end memorable, or the many divorces and split-ups which happen just before the big Holidays, and on a happy note, the weddings which take place just before the new year unfolds.

People are simply drawn into this euphoria of making a beautiful end or a beautiful start.