India ushers in the new year 2021 with cautious optimism with hopes pinned on its vaccination programme. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has tweaked the punchline from 'jab tak dawai nahi, dhilai nahi, to dawai bhi, kadaai bhi. However, as the nation flags off the year, there will be many questions that would still haunt the mind of citizens, more especially when the year's final health update logged in 21,821 new cases. Could the new strains of Covid consume the new year too? Or will the vaccines signal a resurgence and revival?
While Goa takes to frenzied celebrations ushering the new year with traditional frenzy popping off the champagne and partying the night through, people have to be mindful of the harsh realities and the many moments of uncertainties that were faced in the year that has just gone by. If at all there has to be a celebration, it has to be a toast for living another day, surviving daunting challenges, adapting to adverse conditions, for the healing from personal tragedies.
The year 2020 would always be remembered for the devastation and pain it caused to lives and livelihoods, but on a positive note, it will also be remembered for the life's lessons it has thought. We've seen how people reached out in times of food crisis, helping each other in the battle for survival. It proved that humanity across the world is interconnected, no matter which geographical location or race once belongs. It taught how crucial social interaction is. It forced humans to value freedom, be minimalistic in day-to-day living, and brought out invaluable lessons of life the hard way.
However, one of the greatest teachings of 2020 has been to value natural resources like water and the environment. In a year which entirely revolved around hygiene and sanitation, the water became an indispensable component of survival, right from the washing of hands and keeping surroundings clean.
While we reflect on the year 2020, the soothing and cascading effect it had on the environment cannot be ignored. It was a time when a world marred by climate change, erratic weather, air pollution and environmental damage went through some sort of regeneration and started coming back into its own. Pollution levels started dropping, several endangered species started crawling their way back to life, clouds of pollutions disappeared and the world suddenly seemed to be a better place to live in.
While we move on with life, it’s necessary we take these lessons of 2020 forward into 2021. Let’s not create a mental smokescreen of establishing new ground the moment we land our feet on 2021. Nothing will change if mindsets are rigid and the outlook deviates. The change, in that case, will be only numeric. We have to be realistic to the fact that the environment has to be respected and protected in all its pristine glory. We need to move into the New Year with a renewed sense of purpose and a positive mindset.
