Days pass us by; departs from one year to another, and events take place one after another. With all what passes us by, there must be a start to stop at and slow down in order to understand the lessons in all the previous situations and plan for the future. Despite the different traditions of all nations for preparing for the New Year, but they all agreed on the importance of that preparation. At the beginning of a New Year, each person needs to stop for a little bit to think about what goals he achieved last year? Then put a plan for new achievements in the New Year. As moving through life path without significant signs or milestones, will not lead us to our achievements.
I read a nice story that was not devoid of wisdom, it narrated about a past year; its days were almost finished, so he decided to write a letter to the New Year which the whole world was preparing for it. The past year felt that his days were almost done, so he held a paper and a pen and sat down to write his message to the New Year which he will not meet. So he wrote in his message that he will leave all his achievements and all his debts or his negligence to the New Year; advising him saying: “Don’t waste a single day! I had a large credit of days when I started but days slipped away from my hands slowly until it was almost finished and I didn’t achieve what I wanted so I ask you my new friend to make good use of your fortune from those days granted to you because this is your treasure.”
Then the past year stopped writing and grasped an old message, it dated back to three hundred and sixty five days of his predecessor; telling him about wars which spread in his days, and appointing him the task of achieving peace in the whole world. Thoughts then queued in the New Year’s mind regarding all incidents that passed him by then he pulled it all together and continued writing: “If I couldn’t achieve what I dreamt for from hopes, so I will let you my new friend continue the task with those magnificent humans who wish to plant good and root it everywhere.
And today my dear reader, you have a full credit of days from the New Year, and you have to use it with great wisdom, enthusiasm, and hard working, for achieving goals in your life whether on a personal, familial, practical, or educational levels. Be certain that man can compensate all his loss, except for the time that he can’t restore. Minutes have great value, as it is said: “Minutes are valuable than money, so spend it wisely”.
Don’t allow days to slip away from your hands without making achievements. And you have to set a certain time at the end of the day or the week to think about everything you do. While you are working; you should remember that you have a message in life shared with other people, and you were born to fulfill it. Those people have talents that are complemented with yours to achieve goals and hopes.
I congratulate you all for the New Year, hoping that it carries us all the good and peace, and I wish that God bless our country with peace, security and tranquility; and for that peace to prevail humanity …
Stories about Beautiful Egypt never end!
General Bishop,
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
