REFLECTIONS ON THE NEW YEAR

With the birth of a new year, the years gone by take a new meaning. The sentiment, though personal, is universal to all, bringing back a wave of emotions, of memories, desirable and otherwise, and the occasional nostalgia for an experience that is no more.

To many, the first day of the new year is just another day, simply a roll-over of the struggles of the prior year, and a compounding of the burden of life. To others, a real awakening is born, a chance to write a new page of life, of purpose and of meaning. It is this gift of awakening that we must all seek, irrespective of the struggles that lie ahead, knowing that within each and every one of us is the will - of meaning, and the ability to overcome, even the impossible.

Of all the wishes that you may desire for the new year, a renewal of self is paramount, with which comes the wisdom to live every hour to the fullest. Beyond the celebration of a new year, let us reflect on those things that matter - faith, family, friends, and neighbors. We should also remember our planet - earth. All these things we should put ahead of our basic strive for survival, recognition, and for success. May your wishes for the new year manifest as you desire.