When we talk about ‘change’ how often do we actually incorporate that change in our lives and accept that ‘change’ gracefully? With each passing day we follow our regular routine and a pleasant change in our lives is brought about by special days which we all celebrate in jubilation. It is a change and a welcome change from our mundane lives. Be it Birthdays, Anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Diwali, Dasera or even the New Year. The mobile companies make sky rocketing business during these so-called ‘special’ days. However, do these days make any ‘change’ as such in our lives? Or let me put it this way, do we make efforts to bring about a change in our life following such special days? There have been many who do not accept such changes however they fail to understand that, “He who rejects change is the architect of decay.”
For instance a Birthday is celebrated as a party and the joy of
living through another year and entering the next year. Does the ‘special’ day
bring about any significant change in us besides the physical attributes? Do we
introspect and make efforts in bringing about a positive change in our behavior
or any shortfalls that one possesses? Or do we like to believe that we are
‘God’s man’ who does not need a change? Wouldn’t we become better human beings
if we were to bring about that ‘change’ in ourselves? As rightly said by
Pauline R. Kezer, “Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting
us stretch and grow and reach new heights.”
Although it may sound clichéd at times but don’t we all love the
euphoria connected to those words? Happy Birthday… Happy Anniversary… Happy
Diwali … blah blah … and now Happy New Year!!! At times I wonder if some people
actually understand the wishes that they pass on when they wish someone. Many a
times, it seems as though forwarded wishes are sent without even reading the
message that is being forwarded.
These are joyous days for sure if the wishes are really meant in
the true sense and not just in the form of forwarded messages sent as a
formality. When we mean Happy New Year it is meant to pass on good wishes and
moreover ‘grow’ as a human being by bringing about a ‘change’ in oneself as a
person in the forthcoming year. With the passage of each year, a resolution is
made by many eventually to be broken, however it shows one positive sign that
the person realizes the mistakes he/she has been committing so far and intends
to rectify it in the coming year. The positive note being: the sense of
‘self-realization’.
How many of us introspect and take efforts to mend ourselves? New
Year is only looked upon as ‘party time’ by all of us. Gathering around with
friends or family to have a joyful time to welcome the New Year, but isn’t the
party just like any other party we usually have? All that changes is the yearly
calendar. People remain the same; their sentiments and their behavior towards
everyone also remain the same. Then what is so special about bringing in the
New Year with such an extravaganza when nothing changes? Is such a celebration
only meant for the yearly calendar? Such high regards for a mere change in
calendar which shows the upcoming long weekends to party harder?
Have we even paused to look at our lives? Every day teaches us
something new. We meet different people who treat us differently. Some with
love, care, compassion, some with hatred, some with curiosity, and some with
envy, so on and so forth. The same goes for the existing people in our life. As
we enter a new year, besides getting over a hangover why don’t we try to
cleanse our conscious to be a better human being in future? The New year
morning is spent by all forwarding ‘Happy New Year’ messages to all on their
phone list but are we willing to ‘change’ our behavior and actually be
instrumental in making that year ‘Happy’ for the person we just wished?
It is sad to note that mandatory wishes which have only remained
as words sans any emotions are doing the rounds in all the mobile phones and
social networking sites. Whether one has any feelings towards the other or not,
what does it take to type three words as text or better still a forwarded
message which does the trick of fulfilling a formality?
Happy New Year! Mean it from the heart and it really conveys such
heartfelt emotions which I have been fortunate to experience from many who
conveyed their good wishes to me on the first day of this wonderful year. The
emotions are conveyed through sound, through communication which has lost its
value with the ‘change’ brought about by technology. Well, that is
contradictory to the ‘change’ I am talking about as I am looking towards a
positive ‘change’ in our lives and not something that would ruin the existing
warmth of relations which can be effectively communicated through direct
speech.
Looks like the use of technology is to safeguard oneself and avoid
direct communication so that the true feelings are kept under wraps. A message
sent with a smiley or a winky plays safe even if one does not intend to smile.
Similarly a Happy …. , Happy… message is easily sent across even if one does
not wish happiness for the other. Wishing someone a good year means that you
really wish the New Year brings in good luck and happiness to the one you wish.
However if we are not willing to ‘change’ our own behavior towards that person
and continue to harbor ill-feelings towards the other person be it in the form
of hatred, despise, jealousy, anger or even EGO, does the word ‘HAPPY’ in your
wishes mean anything at all?
The New Year needs to be welcomed with a ‘change’ and that too
with a positive change in every form. Be it in the form of progress of the
world, the nation, or even in the progress of ‘oneself’. This special day ought
to be celebrated with all the pomp and jubilation to commemorate the upcoming
‘change’ which we are to bring about by self-realization. What better way to
celebrate the new ‘you’ by leaving behind the negativities of oneself and
‘changing’ yourself to spread happiness. However one needs to have a big heart
to acknowledge the fact that one needs that ‘change’ else this ritual of wishing
each other, “Happy … , Happy …” is going to be limited only to words which do
not mean anything.
Let us begin the New Year by bringing about a ‘change’ in
ourselves and see ourselves grow as a good human being as we change the pages
of our calendar and be responsible in making a ‘positive change’ in the lives
of our family and friends as we wish each other a Happy New Year next
year.
