Manshel Kaur
It’s is 31st December 2017.
Today is the last day you get to live in the year 2017 before waking up to a whole new year. Who’d have thought the year will end so fast, yeah? But as we pace forward, don’t forget to take inspiration from all the good that has happened and ponder on ways to improve the bad. If anything, history has taught us never to ignore the past, as the past may hold the key to unlocking doors of the future.
Which is why, 2017 must never be treated as a year that simply was but a year that counts. It should count to you as much as it did to me. It was the year I stood on stage receiving my scroll form the Dean of the University. It was the year I made myself proud for having accomplished such a difficult feat. But then, it wasn’t all this that mattered most.
What mattered most was the look on my parents’ faces when they saw how far I had come in life. Putting that smile on their faces gave me courage to move forward. Today, I anticipate 2018 with the confidence that my success touched the lives of others in ways I can’t even begin to describe. I realise that life isn’t just about me, but also the people who put their faith in me.
Thanks to these people, I now know that the road ahead is one we must journey with a sense of modesty and compassion. As we strive forward, we must never forget the need to forgive those who may have hurt us or even attempt to mend fences. If anything, 2017 taught me that the language of compassion transcends barriers no other language in the world can or ever will.
The year also taught me a thing or two about resilience. Each time I stumbled, I picked myself up and marched to the next block. Had I not experienced all that I did, I wouldn’t be as equipped as I am today to anticipate challenges life may have to offer. Today, I no longer regret anything untoward that may have happened to me but thank God instead for showing me the way.
Live your life to the fullest. Don’t only experience the passage of time, but soak yourselves in the presence of it. Stop every once in a while to smell the roses. Remember, God put those roses there to remind us that today or tomorrow, there always is a sweet spot for you to find inspiration. Once you realise that, you will see that every obstacle has in it a sweet spot that will help you grow both mentally and spiritually into a better person.
Happy 2018 everyone!
