Thursday, December 29, 2011

And To All, A Happy New Year!

A very wise man once said:
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.  - Einstein

As we start our countdown to celebrating the dawn of 2012, I can't help but smile when I think about the thousand and one "meanings" we attribute to a new year.

For some people I know, it means a whole night of drinking in total abandon and spending the first day of the year in a drunken stupor or with a massive hangover.


For several, it means a little more sedate, like revisiting a tattered list of resolutions made in the past year, only to re-write them again, on a new page, under a different chapter, but pretty much the same list, albeit with minor editions.


For others, it means rekindling old friendships and building new ones. Or trashing old ones and choosing a totally different route. Moving on from past mistakes, making a vow never to take the same route ever. 


All of these, remains to be seen, remains to be lived. We don't know really, there are no guarantees in this life, new year or otherwise.

I take a more simplistic approach to a new year. Something I can wrap my fingers around. Something I can completely and honestly relate with. Here's a quote that sums up, roughly right, my new year dictum; from Anthony Robbins, a motivational speaker in the 21st century:

"Live life fully while you're here. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You're going to anyway, so might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don't try to be perfect: just be an excellent example of being human."


Sounds simple enough, but tougher than you think. Being human, characterized by compassion and kindness is fundamentally tough and a stretch for most of us. For me, in particular. I reckon I start from somewhere based on birthright, year on year. And I continue to be a work in progress. The Dalai Lama is right, absolutely everyone in the universe, regardless of race or faith, can not survive without human affection.




If only for a day, or a week, or a month in 2012, people can see and act on an opportunity for kindness for other human beings and other forms of life, then who cares if the Mayans are right? The sun can explode on a universe of mankind that shines brightly in a sea of compassion.


So my dear friends, here's to making an end, a new beginning! My wish for you and yours, a wonderful New Year ahead! Cheers y'all!

9 comments:

  1. Wishing you a Happy New year :)

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  2. Happy New Year! BTW, been in touch with Stella who is doing better health wise :)

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  3. Wishing you and your family a very happy and prosperous new year!!

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  4. You've got the same kind of outlook and perspective of a New Year as me, well played :P.

    I hope you had a great past year and have an even better New Year.

    And also, the last sentence from that speaker; "Don't try to be perfect: just be an excellent example of being human." Such an amazing statement, truly.

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  5. As this remarkable year ends, it seems, with something of a whimper, here's my wish - that your new year will be bright, alive with possibilities, and that you win a million dollars (well, why not?).

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  6. happy new year to you as well petite ...

    i hope it's absolutely marvelous for you. xo

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  7. This is a really inspirational post for a new year. I love "Don't try to be perfect: just be an excellent example of being human". Thanks for this. And I hope this year thus far (all 5 days of it) have been to your liking. May the rest of the year bring you abundant love, peace and blessings!

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  8. May this year be full of wonderful surprises and incredible adventures! Thank you my friends and Salut to 2012!

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