A season to be festive

As we head towards the last few days of the year, many have made plans to spend the last days of 2022 with family and friends over food and drinks, playing games, sharing pleasantries and maybe exchanging Christmas gifts.

Accommodation establishments have been booked and paid for, fuel money has been set aside, Christmas Day meal menus have probably already been planned, just waiting for ingredients to be purchased closer to the day, and outfits bought.

Even for those who do not believe in Christ, the church and Christmas Day, the festive period still carries the notion of a time to love, give and enjoy like never before during the year.

For all, it is a time to slow down, reflect and take stock of a year of many challenges. It also gives us the opportunity to look ahead, plan and prepare for a year that holds great promise.

And while the calamities of Covid-19 have eased, the effects of the pandemic still hang heavily over those who lost their jobs as a result and have been unable to get back onto their feet, worsening their already poor economic situation, compounded by the increase in the prices of many basic commodities like food and fuel. One contributor to this publication put it this way: “We can only afford a bag of rice and five sweets this Christmas”.

It is a real sad state of affairs that this is the reality for many households in Namibia, making the phrase “Namibia is rich in natural resources, but its people are poor” true.

Nevertheless, it is also the time of the year when we have to take stock of what we have achieved over the course of the year.

Many will look back at their achievements with pride, others not, as they might not have achieved what they have set out to do in 2022.

It is important to audit the activities we spend a lot of time on, as it provides a clear picture of what the many hours spent have produced, and whether it was good for the mind, body and soul and, of course, the bank balance. If not, we need to reconsider indulging in activities that do not make us prosper or thrive.

Use this time of the year to plan and promise to do better next year, and while we do it, try to advance the lives of others too.

Let us all be mindful of those who do not have, and give when we can, not just over festive, but anytime throughout the year. Generosity is not restricted to a certain time of the year.

We at New Era wish all our readers a merry Christmas and a happy new year.