The Year Bygone

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)
The Year Bygone

By Nadeem Qayoom

Change is inevitable. All living things change in one way or the other. It may seem the required change will degrade the thing or complicate the situation, but often it is the opposite. A seed sown in soil will not become a mighty tree if it doesn't change. Relations, seasons, perceptions, fate and scenarios never remain the same and are meant to change for a reason.
Almost everything and every situation in the universe change, and the beauty lies in the same. Human tendencies are so subtle that it perceives change as an end. Fear engulfs him when he undergoes it. The irony is change is a must to change this perception. One has to undergo change to see the varied options on the other side of the change.

We are inherently forgetful in nature and prone to the artificial and imaginary glitter of things. We often ignore the temporariness of the situation in particular and of life in general once we get a moment of bliss. Successful are those who welcome the change with open arms and proceed in a mature and brave manner. Taking a cue from the past, we tend to forget the times when setbacks became incredible achievements, when suffering became energy, and when fear became strength and vice versa. All we are missing is our patience in remaining calm and composed at the time of calamities and faith that the Almighty will indeed fulfil all our exigencies.

Success and failure are both not permanent. Failures do teach us the managing way through the doom and gloom of life's struggles. Success is the only destination, but the journey towards it is actually life. Fate is a different kettle of fish. Every success and failure can't, rather mustn't, be attributed to it. There are glaring examples around us of the people who were in dire straits, but with patience, belief, and proper understanding of the state of affairs, they efficiently managed to come out of the situation and also made their condition better than normal afterwards. Also, if there is not any improvement in the affairs irrespective of employing the above modus operandi, a believer should leave it in view of the fact that some things are not under our control.

As the last moments of this year have slipped away, many of us have apprehensions regarding the challenges ahead. What if the failures continue to haunt us? What if the prophecies come true? What if the particular situation goes bad, and what if the disease progresses as it did the previous year? All these thoughts do infuse fear, discouragement, and negativity in us. Our minds have been conditioned to the narrative that the thorns of life inflict much damage on our lives, that flavour and serenity experienced before the encounter cannot be lived anymore, causing our grief and gloom to expand with each passing day. The smokescreen is made so thick by us as if there is no way of getting through it.

The previous year may have been lost in the pages of history, but it is a lucid example of how situations can change in a matter of seconds, be it in a good or bad way. It is a comprehensive template of how one should plan beforehand according to one's resources. We should consider it as a base year for our success and prosperity. None of the experiences we have in our life go in vain. They all are for our guidance and model for future endeavours. We never know if a difficulty is a blessing in disguise for us. What if our strain and pains go away out of thin air only to puzzle us for the rest of our lives, and what if the smokescreen gets lifted up by itself as it does in real life?

Many of us do this exercise by having a positive mind-set for life, hoping for good, seizing the opportunities to renew their resolutions for their targets, quitting habits they think are bad for them, adopting new ones for the good, and changing their approach to their problems, all intended to just alleviate the situation ahead of this year. Whatever be the reason, we as believers should hope for good and not bad; irrespective of the occasion, we should mend our ways when we see ourselves going awry. Whatever and whenever the situation is, one must not buckle down to any difficulty but yes use the past experiences of life and employ the best of his knowledge to pacify or alleviate the same. Indeed, there is no such condition that can't be changed.

• The author can be reached at [email protected]

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