NYE

 There is no denying that 2020 has been a tumultuous year. As I sit here and reflect upon all that has occurred, I can't help but feel a measure of sombre. This year has been a stress test, and in its wake has brought out both the worst and the best in us and our circumstances. I know for many of us, we are still living through the trauma and quite are a few are left feeling a little emptier.  

Many of us have suffered losses and continues to grief in isolation. There are faces and laughter that we will never behold again; goodbyes that were never spoken; and farewells that were not properly conveyed. There were plans that went awry and dream that were unfulfilled. There is an overall lack of closure, no satisfactory conclusion in sight just yet.

It is therefore only natural that we look towards the coming days with trepidation. Yet, while we may want to tread carefully, venturing forward on tip-toes, may we take stock in the fact that we have been placed through the wringer, and that each of us is stronger because of it. If anything, this past year has taught us that we are made of tougher stuff and that despite being whittled down, we have the grit to withstand.

Yes, the toxicity of the situation remains, but now we know of it, more importantly, this pandemic has shown us that the ingenuity of humanity knows no bounds. That, though distant, our world can be brought ever closer by kindness, by solidarity, through creativity and compassion.

While we find ourselves quartered away, our smiles masked, our faces shielded, may our actions continue to speak louder, and may we continue to have the courage to hope beyond measure and to love with abandon.

In closing, I would like to refer once again to the words of Alexander Dumas in the closing of the Count of Monte Cristo,

“There is neither happiness nor misery in the world; there is only the comparison of one state with another, nothing more. He who has felt the deepest grief is best able to experience supreme happiness. We must have felt what it is to die, Morrel, that we may appreciate the enjoyments of life. Live, then, and be happy, beloved children of my heart, and never forget, that until the day God will deign to reveal the future to man, all human wisdom is contained in these two words, 'Wait and Hope.'”

Happy New Year my friends. There are no guarantees in this life. What we can do and must do is to secure hope for one another, to lend a hand where we can, to stand with another and say we will bear witness. That is my hope for all of you.