IT'S STILL A NEW YEAR AND WE'LL ALL BE FINE!

andrevashaw.blogspot.com

A warm happy new year to all of you out there even though it’s almost three months gone already. Hmmm, how time flies. Just yesterday we all shouted “happy new year” on the 1^st of January.

 

Nonetheless, let me still wish everyone a very “warm happy new year”. Did anyone just say “yeah right? Here we go again, it’s another year”? If yes then it means you understand why I used the word “warm”.

Yes, the year 2018 was a very “trying” (with emphasis) one for many as in ‘very many people’.

‘Trying’ or ‘challenging’ not just in terms of making ends meet as in cash, but was both challenging mentally and emotionally for many individuals and families.

In business, especially for entrepreneurs (mostly young and fresh ones) it was like passing a camel through the eye of a needle. In the end, a lot of businesses folded up while others (including some already long established ones) almost followed suit but for grace and elastic doggedness which kept them just ‘hanging in there’ many of them almost lost their minds whilst trying to hold their heads and businesses above the stormy economic waters in the country.

Mentally and emotionally, many relationships crumbled as deception could no longer hold the midpoints of these relationships. The saving word for the ones that remained was “grace”.

Depression and suicide (attempts inclusive) became the order of the day leaving loved ones behind with a plethora of unanswered questions.

Domestic violence, children (male and female) abuse was part of daily news and happened nearly in every community with many still not reported till date for fear of stigmatization.

The most inhumane one was that of robbers/kidnappers who took their vices to another level by going ritualistic with the stealing of female undies thus making even the most innocent at heart their victims all in the name of money making.

Oh! 2018 was horrendous to say the least for many. Sadly even the politicians did not make it any better. Hmmm! Let me just spare us the (no need to remind us) details.

However in all of the aforementioned, it was still a memorable year for some group of persons as they had reasons to celebrate a few success stories (here and there) in the course of the year. Babies were born, weddings held, cars were bought, musical hits were recorded (from new and existing artists) so were deals signed, some people opened new houses while some others had successful surgeries, and many more. Most importantly, the country did not go up completely in flames.

Hmmm 2018! That year!! Thank God you’re gone for good!!!

We pray that 2019 will indeed be a good year and thus make up for the many losses of 2018.

Once again, happy New Year folks! *winks*  

By the way, did any of you make new resolutions this year? And how well have you held up?

Stella Ene - Inyang

2017: YOUR YEAR, CHASE THOSE DREAMS!

Happy new year to you and all my readers out there. Welcome to 2017, a new year that is no doubts filled with mixed feelings, expectations, dreams, goals and so on.

Yes, here we go again. It’s really a new year and just like yesterday, 2016 was here and it went past before our very eyes as though it wasn’t here at all and gbam!  We are in 2017 already.

As fast as 2016 went, for some of us, it was either a great, good, lovely, slow, fast, awesome or whatever you decide to name it as not everyone had their dreams and expectations met hence it is a ‘carry over’ of such dreams, goals or expectations for many.

But then what can you do but to ‘deal with’ whatever your experiences were in 2016 and move on with positive mindsets for this brand new year 2017.

Whatever your dreams are, don’t give up on them yet. You may ask the ‘why’ questions and I am quick to respond to such ‘whys’ with “because you still have life”. 

 

Carry on with life and be more optimistic that things will turn out better this year as long as you work harder and not give up or give in to challenges that will definitely show up in this ‘course of life’. I call them ‘challenges’ and not ‘problems’ because when you see any obstacles as challenges, you are bound to look beyond them and envisage the victories ahead without any thoughts of giving up on that goal.

For many families, they hoped and expected babies in 2016. While some of these families had their babies, some others didn’t get and of course felt broken as it was another year of unfulfilled dream and expectation despite the many prophecies that may have come their way.

The other day, a friend, Charles Novia posted on his facebook page on the issue of childbearing saying “If you can't have babies, go adopt. Who says your loins have to be the blood father or your womb the blood mother? This is the 21st century. Change your way of thinking about life and what the society wants from you. I have been talking with a few old folks and it gets lonely when you get old. It's really lonely. The only joy some of the old folks derive is that they have grown up children and grandchildren still visiting or taking care of them. They can't describe the joy. What if they never had kids? There's always the old persons homes for those kind, who may wish to live there. But it's by choice in Western Societies in some instances. Old Age Living is mostly communal in Africa. But it is better enjoyed when those folks have kids. Don't be lonely”. Enough said on that for now. 

 

For some other families and individuals, maybe it was just a new car or better jobs they wished for but they went through the year hopeful each month but could barely fuel their worn-out cars till the end of the year not to talk about getting a new one. Again they heard as ‘happy new year’ rent the air on the 1^st of January with no new cars, jobs or houses to show for all their toil through the past year.

Again, for some persons who are faced with health challenges, they believed and hoped all through the year for healing, having done all they know to do medically, spiritually and financially, yet they are still ill leaving them dejected into the New Year.

I could go on and on given the many unfulfilled dreams and expectations. But there’s no point reeling them out. Suffice to say here that we all have to hope again, believe again, try again and be very positive.

No matter what the economy says, just believe in this year 2017 that it is indeed a year for your divine laughter. Don’t give up! Not yet!! Not ever!!!   

Once again, happy New Year!