Something better in 2013
 The year is almost gone by – as the seasonal cheer closes in, one
does realize that the year has whizzed us all by. It seems just a few
months ago that 2012 dawned. And now, we are in December 2012 and 2013
beckons, just a few weeks away. Time in today’s parlance is no longer
what it used to be. Gone are the days when a year meant a very long
time; undoubtedly, times seemed slower because life itself was lived at
a pace that was leisurely and laid-back. It was accepted that somethings
took a long time to get done. There were no instant solutions nor were
such solutions expected.
In contrast, we live in times that demand instant solutions and fast
applications. We need to get things done fast and cannot handle when
there are delays. From being stuck in traffic to waiting for your turn
at the cashier, we are rushed for time. Yet time defies us by clicking
away so fast that the year is gone before we could get a grasp on it.
 In generations gone by, Christmas was a celebration looked forward to
during the whole year. Houses were painted, curtains sewn, clothes sewn
and the entire household looked forward to a time of feasting and
celebration. We no longer get new clothes and gifts only during the
season anymore – the season is just another reason to dress up and go
celebrate. There are other occasions too, occasions that were not there
in the good old days. Some of us live from celebration to celebration,
going through life so fast so busy that they feel they are trapped in a
giant time warp they cannot get out of.
Something different
Time waits for no one – but how can we keep track of time without
wasting it or not bothering to do what needs to be done. Even as the
year has slipped away, can we look back and be content that we did
something right, something different, something worthy, this year. That
we were able to finally achieve something we set out to do. Or that we
were truly transformed by a life’s experience this year. What milestones
have we left behind in 2012 – what have we done that is worthy of being
celebrated and feted, even as Christmas beckons us with the Saviour’s
birth? Is that something we could do for someone who has very little or
none..is there something we could do for someone who has the need but is
not able to ask or beg.
Have we truly been content this year or have we yearned for what we
do not have, wishing we had someone else’s life, someone else’s looks or
money? Has the year enabled us to grow mature, learnt to be thankful for
smaller things in life and be grateful for being alive and healthy?
Too often, we spend time wondering about things that will never go
wrong or we tend to look back and think we could have done things
differently. Or if we could have the moment once again, we would do a
different turn. The year has gone by and we are left wondering where it
went. Will the next year be different?
Productive time
We can be confident towards doing somethings better and different in
2013. If there were things we could not do achieve in 2012, then there
is always time although 2013 will also click away before you know it.
Time runs fast yes but we can catch up indeed if we choose to be
purposeful and determined in seeing things through.
Life is an opportunity we have been given – we have so much time but
it only adds value if we choose to spend it wisely.
There are so many ways of spending time but most of it is really
wasting the time. Let us not wait for a year to pass us by before we
learn the value of productive time. Let us make an effort to get things
done faster, better and meaningfully too.
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