A better, year-long journey
star2@thestar.com.my WHEN I look back on this year, I picture myself as a driver of my own car. I take responsibility for the maintenance – refuelling it, clearing up the interior, cleaning the exterior – and how I do it reflects on its performance.
Whether I remember to pay my road tax and insurance, and to lock the car after parking are not things I can count on faith or leave to God.
Here’s a checklist. Did I take the time to rest when tired? Was I courteous to fellow drivers and pedestrians? Did I go faster at straight roads and slow down at curves and bumps? Did I patiently make U-turns or other wiser decisions whenever I took a wrong turning?
Did I make enough stops to visit close friends who are house-bound or hospitalised? And made time to get to reunions and festivals, to enjoy good food and good company? Did I avoid over-spending while touching up the dents and marks after some mishaps?
Yes, during my car trips through the year, there were all these decisions to be made – and I have gone wrong occasionally. However, with the new year looming, I may be given another chance to continue driving, to keep heading for purposeful pursuits, to safely reach the correct destination. To keep on trying to become better at some things.
To restore self-respect after mistakes, to renew the spirit after disappointments, to reclaim what may be lost, like health and peace of mind. To relive happy memories and try create more of such.
Besides our attempts at recycling material stuff in daily life, we can also recycle the lessons we have learnt by sharing them through talking and writing about them; some do it very well in cartoon format or in movies.
We gain encouragement and strength through positive feedback, strong family support and amazing bonds of friendship. But make sure you do your part, and not just leave it totally in others’ hands.
It is not really important how short or long one’s life’s journey is, but it matters greatly that it is meaningful with much love and forgiveness, with joy to celebrate the caring the sharing.
There are reminders all around us that we should not complain about roses having thorns but be grateful that thorns have roses. That we can’t turn back the clock but we can wind it up again.
That we should not let what we cannot do interfere with what we can do. That people