An ‘exercise’ before New Year!

by Samangie WETTIMUNY

While walking down the lane observing how the city is getting ready to celebrate yet another New year, I came across a little sister and brother who were engaged in a ‘verbal’ battle over a ‘very’ serious matter! The little girl claimed that her aunt in America loves her more than her brother as she has sent her a card by air mail. “You only got an e-card.” she went on saying. “I have a handwritten card!.” The poor boy went on retorting “My card is still on the way, I am sure. I know she loves me a lot. Postman ‘uncle’ will definitely deliver it tomorrow!”

No matter whether you are young or old, this is the time you would love to hear the bell of your postman most! All these days you hardly took any notice of his existence, but suddenly when the year comes to an end, you begin to prefer him to Yahoo or Gmail- your closest companions in communication the whole year! A greeting card in which your loved ones have expressed their sincere wishes in their own handwriting is always dearly loved,especially when it reaches your doorstep from the other end of the globe! Though with advancing age we gradually realize that the dawn of a new year is yet anothrt unpleasant reminder of our age, which does not differ from one’s birthday, the common wish is ‘let each new year find you a better man’ !

However, just as snail mail is still loved by many despite the emergence of all the sophisticated greeting methods, traditional celebrations of New Year that have been coming down the centuries remain unchanged.

Every country engages in the New Year celebrations in their own traditional way. In fact January first is the first official day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. In the true sense New Year dawns for Sri Lankans when the Sun moves from the House of Pisces to the House of Aries which is normally celebrated in a grand scale on the month of April. The Chinese New Year which is also known as the Lunar New Year occurs every year on the new moon of the first lunar month when the exact date could fall anytime between January 21 and February 21 of the Gregorian Calendar. Anyway nowadays almost all the countries engage in New Year celebrations on January 1.

Whichever day it falls on, many people look forward to the New Year day for a new start... unfortunately, on the old habits most of the times! American author Mark Twain with his wit and incisive satire saw the new year as the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolution, but the following week “you can begin paving hell with them as usual!

Has the yet unborn year 2009 too already taken possession of the clock of time where all hail the duties and possibilities of the coming twelve months?

Anyway as revealed to me by many, as a country we have achieved a lot during the year 2008. “We are optimistic that we will be able to eradicate terrorism. More than 20 years of war could finally come to an end. We are sure.”

“Thirty first night celebrations, fun and glamour are all welcome, if we have not forgotten our main aim. To develop the country while combating terrorism;” a trishaw driver tells me as I pay him a very reasonable fare! This is the best period to engage in self analysis, so many ‘advisors’ and ‘pundits’ have repeatedly told us over the years, but little seemed to have worked! So I have to repeat their words to see whether they will work at least this year!

Take a piece of paper and write down the good habits and bad habits to which you have got used to over the years.

Sometimes we all may not know that some of the habits we are practising are bad. So make sure or try your best to avoid them next year. The accepted notion is that if you continue to engage in any activity for thirteen weeks, it becomes a habit! It is only good habits that you have to cultivate in this manner! You should have an aim and should take reasonable steps to make it a reality! From individual level to family level... from family to country ! So let this be the year on which we ‘challenge’ Mark Twain. This week we make good resolutions...... next week we can put them into practice!

Wish you a very happy New Year!