As the New Year celebrations and fireworks fade slowly into the mists of memory the year 2012 looms ahead as an empty canvas awaiting the painter's brush. "What lies ahead?" is the question which so many of us ask at this time, as if the future is already established, and we only need to wait and see if what we hope it promises will be fulfilled. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth.
The future is something we ourselves have to write, not sit back and wait to read. It is up to us to ensure we fulfil our own destinies, to fulfil our potentials to the best of our abilities, and not to assume that the future is "written in the stars". With freedom of will comes responsibility. We may not be able to fully determine our own circumstances by our own actions, but we can surely achieve 'failure' by our own inaction.
The New Year is little more than an arbitrary break in the calendar. There is no rationale by which the change from December 31st to January 1st should indicate any major changes in our lives. It is no different from the move from (e.g.) September 15th to September 16th. However, the change of calendar year combined with the time away from work, often spent in the company of good friends and family, affords us the opportunity for self-reflection. Such an opportunity permits us to consider what we might have done differently or better in the past, and to learn how to approach things differently in future. But it is a matter of personal willpower whether or not one succeeds in becoming a "better person" this year.
This applies both in the small—at the personal level—and in the large—such as in business and politics, for example. While us ordinary mortals try to make minor adjustments to fulfil our potential we hope that our business leaders and politicians will do likewise, especially as we have just come out of a year with so many pessimistic circumstances. The holiday period has seen a respite from news reports on the euro-crisis or wars and revolutions in the Middle East and elsewhere, but these will resume as we wend our weary way back to work in the next few days. I hope that politicians can stick to their resolve and make (at least) minor improvements in the lives of those who elected them and beyond. It is my fervent hope that EU politicians can resolve their petty nationalistic differences and pull together in the interests of ALL of Europe.
However, my most fervent hope for 2102 (beyond what I hope for my family) is to see my beloved Spurs continue in the rich vein of form which has lifted them to third in the Premier League. Who knows? Perhaps we might even win the title this year!?!
Wishing you all that is best for 2012, although I know it is entirely in your own hands.
