Editor,
Indeed, 1st January is a big day because we step into a day which is the beginning of the year. Absolutely a new time; a time for celebration; time for fun. Of course, also a new occasion to feel important to resolve to take up promising things and think more innovatively. But I am extremely confused as to what is the reason that is so significant that we should celebrate the occasion by literally letting our hair down— — shedding all human inhibitions with booze and organizing wild parties. I feel what we have been doing is absolutely the reverse.
We should be introspecting on the year gone by and feel a sense of regret that another year has also just elapsed without our being able to become a little more human. We should feel that it is more important to kneel down with remorse and tears in our eyes before the altar begging the Almighty for His pardons for having become more prone to commit sins these days than in the previous years. More than anything, why are we not aware that we have become older by one more year which is a matter of regret? If this new year celebration could make us younger by a year then we could certainly jump and hop like a child in ecstasy and wish everyone — a happy new year! This is not to preach and spread a message of pessimism but just a reality check that our mindless merry-making and big bashes are ephemeral joys. I believe we should learn to think other way round and ponder on the reality and the inevitable truth affecting the whole mankind and governing the whole universe.
Should we not acknowledge that the year that has just passed us by (2015) was marked by more instances of heartless shooting, bombing, kidnapping, rapes, adultery, suicide, corruption, divorces than the previous years 2014, 2013? This clearly prove that we have gradually become less human. Let’s try to find out how our mind is being littered with more vices in the successive years. Further, let us start soul-searching as to what we have been doing in the name of new year celebrations. Are those celebrations really worthwhile and value-based? Would they be helpful for our positive growth and evolvement of inner selves and help purify the environment we live in? I reiterate that the New Year is a significant occasion to do real introspection, be more meditative and make solemn resolutions to undertake constructive things rather than mere indulgences in a series of entertainments. It is a time to glorify the Almighty who has created this wonderful world and eternal-time, instead of becoming appreciative of amorous dances or getting lost in the meaningless talent-hunt-shows on TV channels. When shall we realize that our indulgences and preoccupations these days are of an exceedingly lower grade and that they are only leading us to the abyss of confusion, frustration and subsequently degradation of mental faculties? At this solemn moment let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy New year. May we resolve to become more industrious, more peaceful, more benevolent, more courageous, more humble, more compassionate, more forgiving, more tolerant, more God-loving and thus more enlightened!
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali
Shillong-2