It sure feels nice to welcome the new year, doesn’t it? Some people see it as an opportunity to start afresh, do something new, or tick some things off their bucket list. But in reality, not everyone has the privilege to do so.
The year 2020 may have stripped some people off their income, took away their family, or even their home, leaving them with nothing but a strand of hope and faith. But never underestimate the power of faith. While we might not see it, our religion could be the only thing that keeps us going, regardless of the belief you follow.
Will this year be better than the last? We will never know. But what we can see is that the pandemic and all the challenges that came with it are here to stay. Even as the world rolls out doses of COVID-19 vaccines, people have been contracting a new strain of the virus. Even those who had been vaccinated could still become infected, according to some reports.
I’m not trying to be the bearer of bad news. But other than COVID-19, issues that the world had been struggling with have not ended. Climate change has not stopped the ice caps from melting in the Arctic and prevented some countries from being vulnerable to natural disasters. Many barely made it through 2020, so how confident are we that we can survive this year? My answer would be, faith. When the world seems like it’s tumbling down, have faith that you can pull through.
It’s never too late to turn to your faith to regain the strength to keep going. If you think that you’ve strayed too far away, then take baby steps. Nobody is telling you to turn into a pious person overnight.
You could start by doing the things that believers of the religion you follow normally do, such as praying or meditating. If there are places of worship to go to, take some time to visit those places again and see how you can reconnect with the religious community. At your own time, you could start watching shows or read books that are related to your faith as well.
If you do not follow any religion, find something that can help you get in touch with your spiritual self. Spend some time with yourself, take a walk in the outdoors, or turn to the spiritual energy in the universe to seek comfort and strength.
We’re really the best resource we can ever have. When there’s nothing else in life, we only have ourselves to rely on.