MEMO FROM NARA...

2013 is passed away and 2014 is born. We have seen the past and we have to see the future in 2014. The past and future were separated by a very short period of the New Year Eve on 31 December 2013. It was the minute and hour hands of the clock came together one over the other at 12’O clock – the midnight. As soon as the midnight was passed we entered the year of 2014 – A New Year. People all over the world irrespective of all kinds of differences celebrated the solemn occasion.

People make new life-changing resolutions such as putting a stop to cigarette smoking, drinking liquors, getting up early in the morning, going for morning walk etc. All these New Year resolutions are followed religiously for a month or two and forgotten afterwards in most of the cases. Still it is a custom to take New Year Resolutions to improve one’s quality of life.

People used to send New Year Greetings to their dear ones who live in far off places. But nowadays such habit of sending greeting cards is getting vanished. We just call our friends and relatives using our mobile or i-phones and wish them New Year greetings. See the changes we have followed over time! Everyone expects that the New Year will bring peace and happiness all over the world. Such expectations may happen as we expected or it may not. Still people expect for a good future. Those who have faith in God go to temples, churches or mosques to pray for a good future in the coming year without knowing what they need to do. Unless we change  our behaviour and attitude good future cannot be achieved. That is certain. We may talk about so many things for days together, but the real progress comes only when we involve ourselves in the governance. We need to do our duty and follow certain norms to bring about better surroundings with good understanding of human value.

For India, the parliamentary election is scheduled in May 2014. A new government is expected. New future for the country is envisaged. The United Nations has designated 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming, the International Year of Crystallography and International Year of Small Island Developing States (or SIDS, who worry that if the Oceans rise, they could become SUD – Small Underwater Drowned States). All these three important aspects concern the population of the world. Agriculture, science and climate change are basically essential for every individual of the world to consider. Future depends on these three subjects.

I think 2014 will certainly see some spectacular changes both in our country and in other parts of the world. Let us not see an angry world, but let us see a peaceful world for the progress of human achievements.