New Year Reflections - Gratitude and Hope

Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, “It will be happier.” - Alfred Lord Tennyson.

It’s 5 minutes to 12; my mother asks us to close our eyes to reflect on the year that has gone by and pray for the one ahead. As the clock strikes 12, we open our eyes with renewed hope and spirit. We’d wish each other and start the new year with sweets. The crossover moment between the two years seemed magical back then. Like a candle of hope that was handed to us – a hope that there would be light, each step we take into the new year.

The Flame was brightest then, flickered during the teenage years, and managed to stay lit with the help of cupped palms protecting it from the elements during adulthood. 

The Flame – manifested as – Hope, vitality, flow, excellence, passion, impact... The amplification of all the possibilities that we hold within us. This Flame helps us be the best version of ourselves. If we’d imagine people around us transformed into candles. We’d see three common types of candles. One - who is firmly planted gently spreading light and warmth, two - who’d walk around flickering, and the third one burning from both ends – while they provide a lot of light, the burn-out is certain. Some might argue that there is a fourth kind, candles trying to snuff out your light. I strongly believe no one wakes up intending to sabotage another. These could be products of the environment.

My hope for 2022 is to be a steady flame, helping light the candles that have lost their magic.

The Palm – Represents protection, certainty, a stronghold or a safe space. The palm provides the support needed for the Flame to burn bright. The pandemic came down on all of us with a catastrophic blow. Causing us to question our way of life. These are the three Ps – People, Place, and Purpose that helped keep my candle burning in 2021:

The People: My gratitude! To all the people who brought positivity into my life. They were one of the strongest walls of protection.

1.    Family: “ ‘Ohana’ means family, and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” – My sister’s favorite quote. While my family was miles away, I never felt alone in 2021. The joy of seeing my nieces for the first time and having them fall asleep on me with their delicate hands on my shoulders is unparalleled.

2.    Friends: While it’s not in my nature to signal for help, I’m grateful for the kind friends who called to check on me frequently, acted as a sounding board, invited over or met up despite the restrictions, or sent over home-cooked meals during the pandemic.

3.    Coworkers: Team members who, despite personal hardships, contributed at work. Coworkers who supported by standing-in or supported at work, work friends who, despite their difficulties during the year, made it a point to check on each other or send gifts over from miles away. Inspiring coworkers who led by example and took others along in the journey.

4.    Others: The neighbors who watched over each other. Home-delivery guys who are now on a first-name basis. So many more who shared a bit of their magic selflessly.

The hope for 2022 is to be around people who inspire, love, and build each other.

The Place: The place to me is not always physical. I’ve often told people that I can never be bored because I have an active mind. To keep both my physical and mental place sane was perhaps the hardest in 2021. To see such devastating effects on people all around, especially during the second wave, was gut-wrenching. For someone who’d have plan A-Z, for the first time, there was so much uncertainty! A phrase that kept me going was - Dum Spiro Spero, which translates to “While I breathe, I hope.”

Continuous learning, engaging in challenging projects, surrounding myself with the right people helped me often to maintain a positive disposition.

The hope for 2022 is to take care of both the physical and mental place. To be ok not to have control, to be ok not to have clarity, to do more of what helps me stay true to my path!

The Purpose: Finally, the most important aspect of our lives. It’s what helps us get back on our feet after a fall, dust our knees and march forward against the elements.

In the words of Emerson - My raison d’etre, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well”. I’ve often found happiness as a by-product of living these words.

What caused the most amount of disharmony was the struggle to stay true to my path during these trying times. How do you help others when your candle is flickering, and the howling winds intimidate and threaten to snuff out your Flame? To be consistent, to go the distance?

When his generals told him it was impossible to cross the Alps, into Italy, by elephants during the Second Punic War (circa 218 BC). The great commander, Hannibal, told them, “Aut inveniam viam aut faciam” - “I shall either find a way or make one.” This turned out to be one of Hannibal’s greatest achievements in a military career that has earned him praise to this day as one of history’s greatest strategists. This attitude to life was shaken in 2021 but not lost.  

The hope for 2022 is to stay true to my path and purpose, to have Hannibal’s spirit, to not only be the best version I can be but also help others around me achieve their purpose in life too.

Here’s to hope, renewed spirits, and a wish to never lose the child-like wonder. Let your candle burn bright in 2022!

#Newyear #Gratitude #Hope #Resilience