Looking back to move forward

If we look back over 2011, I think it was a year of mixed happenings for most of us, locally, nationally and internationally. Reflecting on the year that was is a natural tendency we have around this time. And rightly so; we are going forward and we need to look back first, examine the past, and see what we would like to improve upon.

As Socrates once said: “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

But what is it that we examine when we look back over our lives? And what does it mean when we wish each other a happy New Year for the future? These two acts go together. We need to do the first act of examining in order to ensure the second act of having a happy new year occurs.

Not all of us are privileged enough to take time out to examine our lives, like a month-long or week-long retreat or even a sabbatical of some sorts. But what all of us can do is to take a few moments out of our day to reflect on our lives.

Normally as we go through the year we always say to ourselves, “Next year, if God spares me, I’d like to ……”  And this wish of ours is always for something better than what we currently have. So we have some idea of what it is we’d like to improve.

Our lives fall into four main categories and it is around these categories of life that we would usually like to see improvement.

Firstly, our physical or material lives —are there any changes I’d like to make in this area—improve my health, plant a garden, start a business or start practising a sport?

Secondly, our emotional or relationship lives—do I need to improve my relationship with myself or anyone else or do I need to end a bad relationship?  Thirdly, our mental lives—how can I improve myself mentally? Perhaps read a good book or two for 2012, enrol in a short course, complete those one or two long outstanding subjects for matric, or seriously start studying in a field I am interested in.

Fourthly, our spiritual lives—am I really serious about meeting God inside myself and taking him to others? How can I commit to regular spiritual practices, how can I more fully participate in Holy Mass and also in the community life of the parish?

These are questions only we can answer and if we look around there are more than enough clues for us to find the answers.

After examining our lives, we usually make some decisions or resolutions for changing the areas we’d like to improve.  And this is where our New Year’s wishes for each other come in.

We don’t stop to think what we mean when we wish someone a happy new year, or success for the new year. Normally we are in such celebratory spirits, that it sometimes is just about popping the champagne and waiting to wish everyone after the countdown to the new year.

But when we wish anyone a happy new year, in fact, what our new year’s wishes are saying is that: “I’d like for you to be successful, or to have good fortune, or to be the person you want to be in the new year. I wish for you to be new and improved in areas of your life.”

That is what our new year’s wishes mean. And this also implies that as friends, family and community we will support and encourage each other in our efforts to become new people.

2012 will undoubtedly have its moments of heartaches and headaches. But, I believe it will also have its joys and its newness, and its extraordinary blessings and providence that will make our year truly a happy new year. Each of us is placed in our own unique positions to enable ourselves and each other to become new people in the new year. Happy new year!