Happy New Year !

A whole new world

A dazzling place I never knew

These lyrics from Disney’s song in Aladdin highlight the beauty and wonder of our lovely green planet which changes with the passage of time. To keep discovering and rediscovering it would be our privilege. To cherish it and enjoy it would be a joy, especially with one’s loved ones and friends. But, reviewing this last decade makes one wonder — are we doing that? Why have we lost ourselves in all kinds of conflicts, including conflicts with nature and perhaps amongst the greatest creation of nature — humankind?

We have had a list of controversial leaders, especially those who denied the reality of climate change and led to worldwide protests from adults and children and those who closed doors to other humans seeking shelter and survival on the basis of borders drawn by mankind. It was also a decade when Yuval Noah Harari saw history as borderless and traced the tribal instincts of our race. Man moved towards making unmanned vehicles and flying to Mars for a holiday.

It has also been a decade that sadly saw violation of women to an unprecedented degree… and yet, I feel, there is a light. Women are learning to give voice and men join them in protesting the violence and rage. They function as humans together… against unfair laws and violence. Harari spoke of how tyranny and communism had been replaced by liberalism — I do not understand isms but I do know that after a thunderstorm, one sees rainbows and clear skies. I would presume the turbulence we see now is the thunderstorm. And after this, there will be a rainbow and a whole new world — a dazzling place!

Let  us welcome 2020 into our midst with hope for a  happy new year and a fabulous new decade!