Goodbye 2022, welcome 2023.
The previous year brought us variety of valuable experiences. They made our life complete and exciting all throughout the year.
In general, 2022 made us hopeful and cheerful. It is actually considered as the year of gradual freedom. We are almost free from our long captivity due to the pandemic. Our very limited space became wider. We have greater chances to roam in places where we want to visit. Social interaction is more lenient as long as safety and health protocols are still observed. Thus, we can have frequent and close contact with our relatives, friends and acquaintances.
It is also advantageous to students who seem to come out from their cages for almost two years. Everybody felt excited to attend their face-to-face classes. They more appreciate to be in their classroom. Better learning takes place with the presence of their teachers. In the same manner, teachers have better delivery of lessons. They can closely monitor students’ mastery towards the lessons. As a result, they can easily give intervention activities to slow learners.
Unluckily, our happiness was affected by instantaneous oil products price increase. Inflation added more burden particularly to low income earners. They find difficulties to cope with high prices of common commodities. It’s good because Filipinos are resilient enough. They still think of remedies in order to survive. Resourcefulness and solidarity rescued us from the wrath of adversities.
If there is a good thing that happened to us during the previous year is we became stronger, wiser and more sensitive to the needs of our fellows. We also learned to live simply. Managing finances is comparable to time management. We must be very careful in spending our money just like time. Money and time that were spent can never be recovered. Hence, let us always spend our time and money wisely.
On the other hand, it is normal for us that we committed shortcomings in the past year. There are bad decisions we made that affected our lives and other people. Intentionally or not we inflicted pain to ourselves and to our fellows. Oftentimes, these experiences may hinder our happiness and success. We tend to blame or pity ourselves. This can turn our world dim and make us hopeless.
Honestly, I am one of those who assumed that 2022 was not a good year. I encountered many frustrations and health problems. There were times when I wished that my life will end. I already suffered too much pain and agony. It seems to me that the only way for me to escape from hardships is when I am no longer breathing. Enough is enough. I am already tired of battling in order to live. However, how can I peacefully exit this world full of sorrows if I’ll be leaving my daughter alone? Oh my gosh! I still need to live longer for my child.
Bad experiences during the previous year should not defeat us. We need to become optimistic and be a better version of ourselves. It is also nice to look back. Our misfortunes in the past must serve as our reflection and inspiration to look forward for a better tomorrow.
Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said, “Life can only be understood backwards; But it must be lived forward”.
Let us therefore celebrate our new opportunities this new year. Always remember that good things happen to those who are passionately and patiently dreaming and striving.
