Heightened awareness of lives

Sir — Around this time of year, we mark three dates which have much in common.

The winter solstice or shortest day of the year, falling on December 21, held significance in ancient cultures as a time of birth/rebirth. In the northern hemisphere, this marks the beginning of the lengthening of the day as the long, dark nights of winter begin to shorten. It brings a sense of hope of better things ahead.

December 25 celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, whose life forms the basis of Christian religions which make up the largest number of followers at over two billion people worldwide.

New Year’s Eve into New Year’s Day marks the end of one year and the start of another.

For many people, these dates coincide with time off work, time with family and friends and time for reflection. We can bring to mind people who were with us at these times in the past, people who walked the earth but whose time has ended.

We can reminisce on the year gone and also look forward to the year ahead. We can look at things in our lives that we are unhappy with and, if we are brave, we can actualise the changes we would like to make.

The aforementioned dates bring a heightened awareness of our lives whether for good or bad. Things which we may have been mildly unhappy with may suddenly cause us greater distress. However, we can use this time productively to spur us on to greater and better things.

Many, many years ago as a 16-year-old schoolboy I remember a classmate exclaim excitedly: “You learn something new every day,” as if it were some great revelation he had suddenly discovered. I wonder if he still feels this way nearly 40 years later. I hope he does.

This time of year is a time of renewal.

We need to keep our minds active, open to change and continue on the path of continuous learning in all aspects of life.

Sometimes, we all need a little reminder to encourage us to make the changes which can ultimately lead us to live more fulfilling lives, no matter what the short-term pain is. We are alive, and while there is life, there is hope. Tommy Roddy, Galway