ON the brink of another year closing its pages, many people would understandably find themselves reflecting on the challenging year that was and anticipating better fortunes in the new. Let’s face it, this year has not been the best in many years and many would want to forget – or at least – remedy the psycho-social effects that would be with us for quite some time.
But hope springs eternal, as the famous Alexander Pope phrase goes, and life goes on. And so many people would now find themselves making resolutions that they hope to accomplish in the new year. It is not uncommon that for many some resolutions point towards being life-changing decisions, but a new year sure does sound like a ripe time to change for the better.
After a busy and destructive Atlantic hurricane season, many emotional and geographical scars remain in the Caribbean. As such, it would only be prudent that we all continue to keep our attention on those sisters and brothers in the region who, although their lives were spared, lost much of their worldly possessions. Obviously, they would need as much assistance from us on their long road back to normalcy. That would make for a smart and inspiring resolution, wouldn’t it?
Further, with crime being an ever-present threat – especially violent crimes – what better a time to become part of the solution by playing an active role in curbing it? Now would be a perfect time for more people to become mentors to young people who have lost every semblance of proper guidance, often through no fault of theirs. Becoming a mentor, including assisting students with their homework, offering them good advice and helping to ease the financial burden of their schooling fit right in with a progressive resolution, right?
Another resolution could be signing up as a volunteer, whether as part of societies and clubs or otherwise. At this critical juncture of our nation’s questionable future, every helping hand is required, especially since external partners are already blacklisting us and issuing threats whenever our support for their agendas is not forthcoming.
Whatever your choice of resolution, it will take more than simply thinking it up, writing it down and taking the first step in accomplishing that goal. Even when it seems that there are too many hurdles to overcome, a strong spirit of resilience – for which Caribbean people are characterized across the globe – must remain intact. Rome was not built in a day, so building a better place for ourselves means that we will all need to reach deeper into ourselves.
We need to be our own architects for change and not expect that change must be imported. We need to embrace each other as one people with a common destiny. We need to make resolutions that redound to no one being left behind but everyone being brought forward.
With this in mind, The VOICE wishes all a safe, prosperous and peaceful New Year.