New Year resolution
Posted on January 3rd, 2011

Dr.Tilak Fernando

As the clock strikes at 12 midnight on December 31 millions of people hug and kiss each other to say ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Happy New YearƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ followed by making new resolutions that aim to better their lives. The New Year resolution is one illustration of the undulating forecast-method of preparation. As per this system, plans are recognized at regular short or medium-term time intervals.

New Year resolutions can vary according to individual choice from promising oneself to give up smoking, drinking and other such bad habits. Change is the most difficult function in human beings and the humanity will have to just prod along while the professionals, intellectuals and politicians who ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”run the showƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ will have to wide open their eyes and expand their minds to keep their balance in the right order to blend with the changes that are going to take place in the future. No ruler or country can afford to fall back any longer when everything around them in the world will be changing dramatically.

Sacred values

What should be the general New Year resolution for Sri Lankans at the dawning of yet another year? After 30 years of terrorism and bloodshed, we are most fortunate to move about freely without any psychosis of bombs blasting willy-nilly or to pay attention to suicide bombers who might blast themselves to smithereens causing immeasurable damage allaround.

Having successfully annihilated a ruthless terrorist element and accomplished freedom we, as Sri Lankans, need to maintain and continue it with the pristine glory of our motherland as one family unit by upholding equality, integrity, unity and fraternity. These sacred values need to be embossed in the heart of every one of us, whether we choose to live in Sri Lanka or in Timbaktu. It is our inherited duty and obligation to our Motherland.

Mother Lanka has produced an array of men and women of sacrifice, highly educated and affluent professionals, eminent statesmen and politicians and very good administrators. But what is the use? We have not been able to see any unity and co-operation among ourselves in the past. This is the reason for the present plight of our country.

SocietyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s welfare

A good New Year resolution, therefore, should be to give up individual differences and work for the welfare of the society and the country as a whole.

In the immediate past, foreigners as much as our own ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”traitorsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ have let our Motherland down. At the commencement of yet another New Year we, as Sri Lankans, have an obligation to ensure that no foreign force or factions within Sri Lanka can endanger Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s sovereignty any longer.

Unfortunately some folks have been exposed recently for having a stab at meeting their selfish extremity of object. There may have been divergent party differences and ideology no doubt, but when it comes to defending oneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Motherland it should become oneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s moral obligation to stand united by giving up all other petty or political differences.

Non-violence

To understand our centuries old culture we need to develop expansive feelings towards the mother country, become broadminded and spread out our love and understanding. As much as we keep on boasting about being a Buddhist country we need to practice what we preach as well at the same proportion. In this regard extending moral support to the administrators who adhere to these sacred principles becomes imperative whilst disassociating from those who give platform speeches but practise none.

Unity in the country can be achieved only through truth, non-violence and appreciation. A good government should always be supported. People should not abhor a government on the basis of individual differences and/or with their polluted minds with desire, greed, anger, hate and prejudice.

From time immemorial Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers belonged to a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”single family unitƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, irrespective of their religious or political viewpoints. Due to power greed and selfish reasons, party politics, hatred and enmity have been on the increase in the Sri Lankan family, which once lived in love and harmony.

If and when there is a dispute or difference of opinion within this family we may find one or two on one side and there are hundreds on the other.

But if there is any internal threat in the form of division of the family then all political parties should come together to safeguard the interests of the nation. Time has come after a hard fought terrorist war to uproot enmity and hatred and develop Sri Lanka with only citizenry in mind, rather than self-centered political aims.

Free of corruption

New Year resolution is a promise that one makes for the improvement of a scheme or action which frequently transforms life to be constructive. Taking the society as a whole, the ordinary civilian does not hope for much or expect luxuries but to lead a contentious life with kith and kin by discharging oneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s responsibility in a decent manner. Parenthetically the majority does not expect to run about in 4 x 4 intercoolers or live in air-conditioned palaces or even to have offshore bank accounts either! In other words, the ordinary folks are neither interested in acquiring power nor do they wish to get up to monkey pranks to seize power or breed new armies in the underworld.

Any humble citizenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s dream would be to have a roof over his head, a decent job to bring ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”bread and butterƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ home at the end of the day – in the main to live within a just society, free of corruption, intimidation or harassment.

New Year resolutions assist in planning for the next year. Different persons come up with thousands of original resolutions every year. A number of them stay deserted, while some get satisfied.

In such a backdrop letƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s open the Book on January 1, 2011. Its pages remain blank still. We shall put words on them. The Book shall we say ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”OpportunitiesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and first chapter named as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”New Year ResolutionsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.

tilakfernando@yahoo.co.uk

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