AS we inch closer to 2025, many of us look to the new year as a fresh chapter, a time to start anew with hope and aspirations.
For those who found 2024 challenging, there is an inherent longing for a brighter horizon, with horoscopes and predictions offering glimmers of optimism.
Conversely, those who enjoyed a fruitful year may be keen to sustain or amplify their good fortune. However, in the pursuit of success and happiness, an age-old question arises: Is life merely about wealth or does it encompass something far greater?
The answer, nuanced as it is, oscillates between “yes” and “no”. For those in their twilight years, the accumulation of riches often takes a backseat to health and well-being. They begin to realise the fleeting nature of time and cherish moments of vitality over monetary gains.
In stark contrast, the younger generation, millennials and Gen Z frequently equate life with financial success. Raised in an era steeped in materialism, their worldview often revolves around wealth as the ultimate goal.
This fixation is not inherently flawed. As a spiritual teacher recently pointed out in a podcast, there is nothing wrong with desiring financial stability or wealth; it is the means of acquiring it and the purpose it serves that matters most.
Money, undeniably, is a powerful tool as it provides security, facilitates dreams and solves practical problems. Yet, the perception of money differs drastically based on one’s circumstances.
A wealthy individual once remarked that if a problem stems from a lack of money, it is the easiest to resolve, a perspective born from abundance. Yet, for someone living paycheck to paycheck, this statement feels detached from reality. To them, money is often the hardest hurdle and the lack of it exacerbates every other challenge. Both perspectives hold truth, shaped by personal experience.
Regardless of financial status, life’s trials and tribulations offer profound lessons. Every resolved crisis, whether monetary or otherwise, enriches us with resilience and wisdom.
But what happens when life throws challenges that no amount of money or preparation can solve? The recent tragic accident involving an express bus is a stark reminder of life’s fragility. Attempting to avoid a stray tyre, the bus veered into the opposite lane, resulting in multiple fatalities.
Among the victims was a two-year-old child, an innocent soul whose life ended before it truly began. How does one make sense of such an incident? How do you reconcile the unfairness of losing someone who had not even comprehended the concepts of life and death?
This tragedy exemplifies the precarious nature of existence. We often operate under the illusion of control, believing that diligence and caution are enough to safeguard us.
Yet, life is unpredictable. You can follow all the rules, make all the right choices and still fall victim to circumstances beyond your control. This reality is both humbling and terrifying.
Life, at its core, is precious and fragile. It demands that we value each moment, not merely as a stepping stone to the next, but as an irreplaceable fragment of our journey.
Wealth, success and material possessions, while significant, are not the sole measures of a life well-lived. Relationships, experiences and the ability to find joy in the mundane hold equal, if not greater, importance.
As we step into 2025, let us resolve to strike a balance. Pursue dreams with determination but remain grounded in the understanding that life’s greatest gifts often lie beyond the realm of materialism.
Be kind to yourself and others, for you never know what battles they are fighting. Cherish your loved ones, for life offers no guarantees.
In recent times, the global landscape has become increasingly fraught with hostility as countries find themselves embroiled in conflicts of escalating magnitude.
The phrase “all is fair in love and war” appears to have taken on a grim literal meaning, with warring factions displaying neither regret nor remorse for the collateral damage inflicted upon civilians.
The pursuit of power is relentless and unyielding, and it seems to dominate the world stage, overshadowing the moral imperatives of humanity and justice.
But didn’t Aristotle once suggest that humans are “political animals”, inherently inclined to form societies based on cooperation and mutual benefit? If this is true, how did we arrive at a point where such unity is fractured and weaponised against one another?
The truth lies in a complex interplay of historical, economic and ideological factors. Conflicts often arise from the desire to control resources, assert dominance or defend nationalistic ideologies.
Yet, as history has repeatedly shown, war rarely results in lasting solutions. Instead, it leaves behind a trail of devastation, broken lives, displaced populations and shattered infrastructures.
Innocent civilians bear the brunt of these conflicts, their homes reduced to rubble and their lives forever altered. The increasing indifference to civilian casualties is a stark reminder of how dehumanised warfare has become.
It begs the question: Has the thirst for power rendered humanity incapable of empathy or is there still a chance to reclaim the values that once defined us?
The pursuit of power need not come at the expense of humanity. It is possible to envision a world where strength is measured not by dominance but by the ability to uplift and unite.
As we reflect on the state of affairs, let us remember the words of Mahatma Gandhi, who profoundly stated: “An eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind”.
The world will always have its share of challenges and we will continue to grapple with existential questions. But perhaps the greatest lesson lies in accepting life’s uncertainty while striving to live with purpose, gratitude and compassion. After all, it is not the length of life but its depth that truly matters.
Human beings possess an innate capacity for vileness. Yet, it is the very same human beings who possess the remarkable capacity to live and die for love.
Happy 2025 to one and all.
Dr Bhavani Krishna Iyer holds a doctorate in English literature. Her professional background encompasses teaching, journalism and public relations.
She is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in counselling.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
