Saturday 31 December 2016

New Year 2017: resolutions and expectations for the coming year





                                                             

NEW YEAR 2017: resolutions and expectations for the coming year


A few moments later we are all stepping into New Year 2017 with lots of hope and aspirations. No doubt, one has to have a positive attitude and aspire for beautiful things to happen in one's life, even though life is an amalgamation of pleasure and pain as everyone knows. Each year passed and forgotten, still adds experience, maturity and wisdom to one's life. Looking back analytically at the years lived; one realizes the positive and negative elements that have dominated one's existence. Each second, each minute, each hour counts for every individual who is conscious of one's own existence. What is an existence? Jean- Paul-Sartre tried to philosophize and cited existence precedes essence and lived his life accordingly. Some sketch and sculpt their road maps of life on their own terms and live by it. But the truth is, deep down in our hearts, we all wish to prosper and be happy throughout our life. Who dares will certainly enjoy life in true sense. Independence, freedom, responsibility, empathy, compassion and humanity - these words when applied practically to life seriously and consciously, life takes a different turn and becomes worth living. The New Year celebrations continue year after year with increasing enthusiasm all around the world. Every New Year begins with some set of resolutions and expectations, and as the days pass the New Year euphoria vanishes, the resolutions either forgotten or postponed comfortably for the next year. Why do not we stick to our resolutions? Why do not these resolutions materialize? Certainly, there are two reasons for these questions. One, we are so lazy that we do not focus and pursue. Two, we make too many resolutions in exuberance and fail to achieve not even one. When resolutions crumble down, no room left for expectations. It is better to have one or two resolutions and see them materialize with focus and perseverance.


Looking at the global scenario, in the present situation, human existence seems very fragile, transitory and history less. Everywhere there is a kind of unrest and chaos: each one wants to overtake the other; each one tries to invade the other's country and privacy. Bombings have continued scaring the wits of people, chemical gas weapon, the outcome of brilliant minds, has suffocated and took lives of millions and millions of children who wanted to witness each New Year with glistening eyes and with the expectation of New Year gifts.


Look at the scenario of Kashmir. The unrest has continued for the last so many years. The families spend sleepless nights in anxiety not knowing whether the family member gone on an errand will return alive or not. No one knows when one will be rained with bullets and drop dead. In continuation, the centers of knowledge and culture, the efforts of many decades and people, the age old schools have been set ablaze without a pinch of remorse. What these small children can hope for in 2017 here and the coming new years?


Aleppo is very much is in news and we all know for what reason. The whole world has witnessed what has happened there. Due to the ongoing civil war in the country, the people of Aleppo have been evacuated. Think of small kids in this bizarre situation. When these kids are supposed to spend their childhood peacefully, merrily playing with their toys and building tiny homes in the sand, they have been displaced at tender age. Leaving behind their place, homes, their belongings, their memories, people have moved to unknown bleak places. Every day Aleppo news appears in newspapers and on television, still some of the countries have remained silent on this issue. And some of the countries have blocked entrance to these refuges. Where is empathy? Where is humanity?


Now take the example of ‘Boat People’, the Rohingya community. Without any citizenship these boat people are at the sea for months together, tossed from one country to another country like ping-pong balls across the table. The overcrowded, depilated boats are the true portrait of these displaced human beings. Imagine their life in the rough sea during rainy season, think of their summers without drinking water and limited rations, think of their winters with cold breezes and ailments, and in between birth and death happen, heedless of time and space. Is there any value and respect for human existence here?


In these circumstances, we are stepping into 2017 with lots of dreams. We want to celebrate the event in a big way. As human beings we have to give a serious thought to these above issues and try to do our best for the people because we are all one as a big family, irrespective of caste, creed and country.


With all my heart I pray for trouble free and comfortable life for those people and kids who have been displaced, in the coming years.









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