Here's wishing you all a very happy, prosperous and safe New Year. As we move into the new year let us also look back at the lessons learned from 2020. Have we learnt to get in touch with what is really important to us? What are our priorities? Did we learn during the lockdown what really matters in our lives? Did we learn that many of the things we considered as necessities are actually dispensable, if not luxuries? Did we learn to be more independent and caring for those less fortunate than us?
Did we learn to appreciate the sacrifices made by the front line warriors, the doctors, the nurses, the medical staff who fought the battle for us? Did we learn to appreciate the tireless efforts of the police staff who tried to make sure what we should happily be doing i.e. wear masks and practice social distancing? As we move cautiously into the new year let us also remember that many of us have lost near and dear ones. Can we deal with that grief and move on with that empty gap being filled up with their happy memories? Life and death are two aspects of the same coin.
Let us also carry with us the lessons we have learnt in 2020 and not leave them behind. For those of us, who in the struggle of life, could not contemplate and learn those lessons, maybe now is the time to look back, when things are a bit easier, to see if there are any more lessons to be picked up. As the number of infections are reducing, mortality is decreasing, vaccines are around the corner, the economic activity is picking up and production is going up, we move cautiously into the new year with hope. Although we are winning the battle against the virus, this is not the time to let our guard down. It may take a few months before all can be inoculated. Signs of revival are there in all areas across the world. May the Lord's blessings be with all of us!
(The writer is the founder of Aarsha Vidya Foundation. You can write to him at aarshavidyaf@gmail.com)
