Though a proclaimed pessimist, the New Year has always been one of those few occasions that excite me. It holds a special place in my heart, not only because it speaks about a mark in time but also because it is a festival of hope, renewal, and possibilities.
The New Year is a much-desired occasion for kids in Bangladesh as it always coincides with the beginning of an academic year. New books, crisp uniforms, and brand-new stationery make the school-going children exhilarated.
This experience, so uniquely knit to our childhood, often leaves an imprint on us. Most of us still feel that flutter in our chests when the flip of the calendar page introduces January. That little child inside leaps with joy, yearning to embrace the promise of a new beginning, even though our school days may be long over.
The New Year is far more than just the changing of dates; it means newer goals, newer dreams, and ambitious resolutions. Every year, during the last days of December, people around the world indulge themselves in the art of setting New Year’s resolutions. We plot with great zeal and determination while making plans for a healthy lifestyle, better habits, and more happiness. But then, within days, this strives for a nosedive. Most of us, by the time January melts into February, have given up on those lofty goals and leave ourselves wondering: Why do we keep doing this, knowing full well that most of us will fail?
I think the answer lies in human nature. Humans are designed to hope. Deep inside, we are optimistic animals; that is what makes us not give up on life, however dismal it may appear. When the chances seem bleak, we set goals and plan and dream big.
Fyodor Dostoevsky once put it the most beautifully: “To live without hope is to cease to live.” Hope is the lifeblood that courses through the veins of our existence, driving our many hopes forward. Thus, it pushes us to advance towards the future with open arms at the risk of being quite disappointed.
Therefore, resolutions become some sort of celebration for life. By making a resolution, we
celebrate growth, change, and progress. And if we fail along the way—which many times we do—it is in the trying that becomes an act of hope. It reflects that basic constituent in our psyche to want to try harder each time for ourselves and those around us.
Admittedly, resolutions have their share of hiccups. Life has a way of bringing in impediments, and the initial roar may gradually fade away in the dust of daily preoccupations. Yet again, one needs to remind oneself that it is never the finished product, but the intention behind the resolutions—the will to move ahead—that gives meaning to such promises.
Let the spirit of hope and renovation first guide us as we stand at the threshold of the new year. Let us be considerate of all our dreams, no matter how big or small they may be. And even as we falter, may the process of trying bring a smile to our faces, for every little step taken is its triumph. After all, resolutions are not only about successfully pursuing goals but also about celebrating life in all its complexities and promises.