Sunday, January 6, 2013

A New Year for Unity and Action:


“Inaction is cowardice… I do not see how any man can afford, for the sake of his nerves and his nap, to spare any action in which he can partake.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

And what a glorious New Years it was. As I stood with my friends, in the crowded streets of NYC, and as close to Times Square as humanly possible, I took it all in. The pretty lights and people, the fireworks, the excitement and anticipation for the new year. It was electric. The street corners were littered with law enforcement officers but to no avail. A potent odor of alcohol and marijuana smoke hung in the air and in an atmosphere not uncommon to NYC, the roads became lawless and licentious. Party hats in tow, hundreds of thousands of people flocked to the streets to celebrate the completion of yet another prosperous year and start of a new cycle.

Then, in the midst of it all, it struck me. Why all the hype? I hope to not sound like a buzz-kill but New Years is simply symbolic. We may flip the calendar to a new page but many of us still have tremendous responsibilities. We wake up and eat and work and study. There are planes to catch and bills to pay and diapers to change and papers to write. For many of us, our daily lives and their routines remained unaltered.

So what changes? Enter: The New Year’s resolution.
Resolutions for changes in our lives can be implemented and part of what makes New Years so grand is our ability to view the day as a new beginning; a fresh start and springboard into a better lifestyle.

Many people may have personal resolutions but I believe that that there is one thing that we can all universally strive for as a whole. Something that we cannot achieve ALONE, nor with our own determination and drive.

UNITY. To be united – not divided. To participate and not be alone. To find strength in numbers and grow as a group. To be a team player.

Joining a commUNITY, of any type, is an excellent opportUNITY to GET INVOLVED. Whether socializing with friends and family, joinng a team or club, brainstorming with co-workers, study partners, or boardmembers, active participation is the outlet that can bring out the best of our capabilities and actualize our talents. It gives us an opportUNITY to express our interests and get our voices heard. It puts us on the map – so to speak – and keeps us on our toes. It keeps us active, alert, and responsible while enabling us to achieve the human connection that we naturally strive for.

I believe there is a common misconception that by joining a commUNITY, unit, or board we compromise our individuality.  



In fact, it promotes our individuality. We can contribute our fresh output and creativity - through thought, speech, and deed – that directly defines the many facets of and intricate aspects of our personalities.

Ironically, what truly impedes the expression of our individuality is hiding it from the world. Much like what would happen if one were to plant a tree in a flower pot – if we isolate – we limit ourselves and our worth to the confines of our caves.

It is so much easier to sleep in, or keep quiet, or not move but it is selfish acts like keeping our abilities locked away in our comfort zones that prevent us from thriving on both personal and communal levels.

Fear, an inescapable illusion, is bred by ignorance and laziness and is many times self-imposed. Any attempt at more extroverted activity will naturally cause more opportunities to arise and greatly enhance the quality and quantity of our lives. The secret of living is not only giving, but sacrificing the self and cremating the comfort found in laziness and lethargy. We thrive through breaking the barriers that bind us to our beds. The more we disassociate ourselves from the law of gravity – which prevents us from raising to new heights – the merrier our lives become.

Sometimes, you just need an excuse to turn over a new leaf. That excuse can be this New Year but more importantly everyday you wake up in the morning. In reality, we can make a resolution everyday. Everyday is a new shot; another New Years so to speak. HAPPY NEW YEAR? NO. HAPPY NEW DAY!!

It’s a new year
A new month
A new week
A new day
A new hour
A new minute
A new second
A new moment
A new life

So get out of bed and get involved.