"Beginnings are always happy because they hold such promise."
"Beginnings are always happy because they hold such promise."
Christmas was, as always, a time to accumulate.
We stuffed ourselves silly with food, presents, new clothes, perhaps new gadgets or other acquisitions. It follows: The season brings with it a semblance of prosperity, and it seems natural to treat ourselves and our families to a little more extra than what we are used to for the rest of the year.
But the New Year should be all about shedding.
The contrarian opinion says New Year’s resolutions are frivolous because we can always resolve to change whenever we want to, at any time of the year. Still, there is something symbolic about crossing over from one year to the next, and flipping the calendar to the next page—even as digital calendars are more common these days.
So what should we shed as we usher in 2019? Everyone can draw up a list—but here’s mine:
Apathy. So much is happening to our country and the world that it could be depressing just to read or listen to the news. It is also convenient to focus on our everyday struggles—God knows they are overwhelming by themselves. But we do not exist for ourselves or our inner circles alone. We are part of a bigger community, a nation.
In 2018 we saw many things that are cause for concern, even outrage. The killings continue, with impunity at that. Corruption continues. Selective justice and double talk continue. Will we continue not to care?
Defeatism. It is tempting to be overwhelmed by what is wrong. Is it really easier to accept that even with our best intentions and efforts, the system will remain bigger and more powerful. After all, many have tried and failed to change it—what makes us think we can?
But we will always have the power to determine the course of our nation’s life. For example, there is always more responsible behavior in gathering and sharing information, communicating opinions, and electing our next set of leaders.
Fixation with archetypes and personalities. This is what has brought us trouble all these years. We are always looking for saviors, like an anointed being who would descend upon our country (or town or city or province) and make all our troubles go away.
The truth is that politicians are just like any other person—with good points and bad points. We can only hope that the good outweighs the bad, and the desire to genuinely serve takes precedence over their personal interests. The sooner we embrace this reality, the less we will romanticize our candidates and the more effectively we will be able to choose the next batch of leaders, because our decisions will be based on logic and reason.
Bad habits. Getting rid of bad habits does not mean just stopping them; we also need to begin new, healthier ones in their place. This is perhaps the most difficult especially if these habits have been with us for ages. However, it all begins with a desire to change, and success is determined by how intense this desire is.
Material things we don’t need. These days it is easy to judge ourselves—and feel inadequate—by the standards of others. Social media condition our minds that we have to be in possession of certain things at specific points in our lives. Otherwise, we are deemed failures.
The order of the day is determining what we really need and what are truly important to us. Often, intangible things speak more than tangible ones. Experiences are more valuable than possessions; long-term security is more important than having the latest item we would only later on discard.
Finally, old hurts and baggages. It never pays to hold grudges against people who wrong us—they are who they are. If we can tolerate them, we allow them to remain, but if they are too much for us, we wish them well but simply cut off and move on. Life is too short to spend on anyone who gives us less love and joy than we deserve.
Getting rid of these negatives will give us room for many new things: new experiences, new lessons, and new surprises which will be far greater than what we can wish for or imagine.
Happy New Year! Beginnings are always happy because they hold such promise—of what, we don’t know, and isn’t that part of the magic?
adellechua@gmail.com