The advent of the New Year is always a joyous occasion that kindles hope, enthusiasm and optimism in all of our hearts. Amma prays to the Paramatman that in the coming year both the world and each individual within it are filled with peace, harmony and prosperity.

This past year bore witness to a lot of sorrow and suffering. Thousands fell prey to the bullets of terrorists. The death toll in Africa caused by the Ebola virus was shocking, so too the recent mass shootings in Pakistan1 and Assam2. Recovering from these tragedies is not easy.

One may ask, “How can we keep smiling amidst all this suffering?” It’s true; it’s not easy to remain happy in times of such hardship. However, becoming unhappy and depressed is not a solution. If our hand is injured and we just keep crying about it, it’s never going to heal. It will only get infected. The practical thing to do is to tend to the wound and apply medicine. Let us not lose hope and optimism regarding the future. Losing hope and optimism renders¬ us like birds that have lost their wings. Just as such birds can no longer fly, we will not be able to soar high into the sky of life. We cannot allow ourselves to lose our mental strength. In reality, just like any other decision, happiness is also a decision. It is the firm decision, “Let anything come my way, I will be happy. I will be courageous.”

Love for the goal will give us the inspiration to continue striving to attain it. Then, even if we experience pain, it will not cripple us. There will be sweetness even amidst the pain. A mother is ready to bear the weight of her baby and undergo all the pain of labor because of her love for her child and her desire to be united with it. It is our love for the goal that gives us the strength to face all obstacles.

When New Year’s arrives, it’s very common to hear people say, “The previous year passed so quickly. It was gone before I knew it.” In truth, time goes neither fast nor slow. What makes it feel fast or slow is the situations we face and our attitude towards them. We may have been really busy, but we need to ask ourselves, “Why was I so busy? Was I busy trying to attain the ephemeral or the eternal?” The advent of the New Year is a good time to introspect and evaluate our spiritual progress. If we feel that we have regressed, we need to take a resolution so that we don’t allow ourselves to slip further. We should ensure that we start to move forward again.

New Year is also a subtle reminder that one more year of our time on earth has come to an end and our meeting with death is another year closer. No one can escape death. It can come at any time. We should ask ourselves, “If death were to come now, would I be able to face it with a smile? Or would I tremble with fear and insecurity?” If we have truly understood spirituality, we will have no fear whatsoever. We will see everything in its proper place and not develop unintelligent attachment.

Life is like living in a rented house. We cannot live there permanently. One day or the other, we will be asked to leave. If, while one is renting a house, he is also building an even more beautiful and spacious house of his own, then he will have no bad feelings when he has to leave. On the contrary, he will be happy. But if he has failed to find a permanent place to live, he will always be worrying, “Where will I go when I’m asked to vacate?” Similarly, just as one shifts from a rented house to a house of their own, we should also be prepared to shift from this rented house—the body—to the realm of the Self, which is our true home.

Every attachment we create to the world further depletes our mental strength. Initially we may feel it’s just a small attachment and there is nothing to fear. However, as the attachment grows, we find ourselves falling slave to it. Soon, we become like a beggar before it. Then it becomes our master. Attachment to God is different. Faith in God helps us to cultivate values like love and compassion and helps us to speak good words and perform virtuous actions. Attachment to God, or to the guru, helps us detach from our dependence upon the world and become Self-reliant.

In olden days, New Year’s was seen as a holy day. People would visit places of worship and take part in prayers for their wellbeing and pray for the strength to perform good actions. It was also a day to feed the poor and other forms of charity. Today, the “holy-ness” of the holiday has disappeared. New Year’s has become just a time to get drunk, dance and celebrate. One doesn’t need to get drunk to celebrate. When people forget the true meaning behind a holiday and use just it for empty celebration, it becomes like eating the peel and throwing away the fruit. We cannot lose the values that make us human beings.

“Does God exist or not?” is not the relevant question at this time. Ask yourself, “Is there suffering in the world or not?” and “How can I remove that suffering—both mine and that of others? What can I do to put an end to it?” These are the questions we should be asking ourselves, especially on New Year’s.

Why do we find newness in a new year? Is there any real difference between the 31st of December and the 1st of January? It is our mind that creates this sense of newness and hope. If we are constantly engaged in actions that foster our own wellbeing and that of the world, we will find newness, vitality and enthusiasm in every moment. If we use the present moment in this way, it is enough. We shouldn’t put off for later what needs to be done today. We should fully immerse ourselves in doing good deeds. We must strive to see the world with a loving and joyous outlook, every single day.