New Year is in God's Hands

Christmas has just left. Happy New Year!!

When you wish someone "Happy New Year"...

We always wish our friends and relatives, "Happy New Year!" simply because it's the end of the year. What are some of the reasons that we say, "Happy New Year"? Here are three possibilities. . .

First, you are happy that it's the new year. Hence, "happy" new year. "I'm happy that it's the new year," you tell your friend, "and so you should be."

Second, you may hope that the new year is happy. Hence, "happy" new year. "I hope that the new year will be a happy one for you," you are saying, "and here's hoping that everything will go smooth!"

Third, you might imagine that it's a seasonal greeting, and you say it because it's the "appropriate" thing to say. Hence, "happy" new year. "It's a public holiday, and I'm so happy to see you," you are saying, "so let's just shout happy new year together and drink a toast to that!"

But wait, there might be a fourth possibility . . .

You Were The Best One

So here's a story for you.

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who lived in a small kingdom. The kingdom was high atop a mountain. When the princess was born to the king and queen, the whole kingdom rejoiced. Her face was so beautiful that the stars in the heavens sighed with amazement. People came from afar to pay tributes to the king and queen, and to catch a glimpse of the princess. They all left amazed.

As the princess grew up, suitors came for her hand. Always, the king and queen turned them all away, saying, "She is still not of age. Come again when she is older."

When the princess had grown up, the king and queen said, "She is now old enough. Let us find her a proper suitor."

The king and queen then issued a challenge and a promise: They would build a tall tower, armed with defences. Every month, for three weeks, brave princes could come and try to conquer the tower. If they breached its defences, they would find the princess at the very top. And then they could have her hand in marriage. 

But for one week in each month, no man was allowed to come near the tower, because it would be under maintenance mode. Anyone who came near would see a signboard with the big letters, "404: Under Maintenance".

It's how you react to it that matters

We can't always choose what happens to us.

Some things just happen to us. Maybe it's something bad. Like, someone mistook you for a bad guy and came up to you, and slapped you. Or maybe, your wife decided to spring a surprise on you and demanded that you sign up for 50 sessions of personal training. Maybe your wife suddenly has a fetish with baby diaper bags. Maybe she just has a thing for buying new things every week and you find that it's a bit too much to handle.

You will panic. And that's when you hit the panic button. 

"Woof! It's not what happens to you that matters... It's how you deal with it!"

What happens when you panic? Maybe you'll lose your temper. Maybe you'll burst out with a torrent of words. Maybe you'll slap someone, because you're just too angry to consider anything else.

Pergi Bala, or How I Misheard A Song

Recently I was attending an official function.

We wanted to celebrate our athletes who had done well in Rio. And so we invited them to come for a special dinner. All the athletes who had gone to Rio came, including the silver medalists.

Their names were called one by one, and they marched in to jubilant cheers. Even the ones that weren't so famous got the cheers. But not many people were clapping, because many people were taking photos.

We need to learn how to hear the important messages in life.

We stood close to the red carpet, and one of my friends asked us to turn our backs to the carpet so that he could take a group selfie with the athletes walking in the background. But once the athletes started walking in, lots of people started crowding behind us, and blocked the view of the athletes. So we stopped trying to do that.

How to show up

Some success gurus like to say that 50% of success is just showing up.

And I agree with that. We should all show up, because 50% of success is just showing up. Woody Allen puts it at 80%.

But how the hell should you show up? That's the part they never tell us. "Show up", they say. "You're already better off than those who don't show up. You're winning!"

So how should you show up? 

Eighty percent of success is just showing up - Woody Allen.

People Get Angry When They Don't Understand You.

We went to a faraway court today.

Today's session was to seek clarification on the consent order. It was in another state down South.

On the last date, there was a mediation. My client and his wife had negotiated, and they had reached an agreement. The court applauded them because they had settled the matter amicably. The lawyers shook hands. Everyone was smiling. The court announced a consent order.

We win and lose in life. That's normal. But we have to learn something from the experience.

Learning to Toot My Own Horn

I was fresh out of university.

Then I got a job at the family firm. I had a million ideas, when I was back in university, about how I would spend my first salary. 

When I was a teenager I thought that I would buy music albums from my favourite bands, books from my favourite authors, and musical instruments so that I could play music in the comfort of my home. I made plans to get a laptop. A mobile phone. All those things that teenagers want.

But a friend made a remark about my man boobs. I was young. And foolish. And easily devastated. So, I signed up for a gym.

Beep beep. Probably the modern day version of the horn.

Imagining and Pretending Yourself into Action

Some days I feel lazy. I don't even want to get out of bed.

But then I have to work. I have to earn a living. And I have to take care of three other individuals.

I need to do things. Walk here, go there, take this, do that. We all do.

During my school days I learned about inertia. It's why things don't move and they need a kick in the butt to get them moving. And once they start moving they keep moving : It's also inertia. But in reality, there's also friction, and energy loss. Resistance. This causes loss of speed.

We need to get things done. But it's easier to make believe and pretend than to take action. If you don't believe me, just go to a coffee shop with your friends and start talking about how we could improve the world. You'll get lots of ideas. And then you should ask, "Who's interested in putting what we discussed into action?" Don't be surprised if they all keep quiet.

Pretend that you are number two. Work hard. Get to number one. 

My Last Will and Testament

Why Now?

Because life is too short, and we don't know what's going to happen.

And because it might not be the final one. Every will is going to have that phrase "the last will and testament", but who knows when you'll make another one.

But if I were to die tomorrow, I would want my family to honour my wishes.

These wishes.

Remember, we are stars wrapped in skin.

4 Lessons from My Grandfather's Life

He was the third child in the family.

I think there were more than ten of them.

It was the 1920's. Times were hard at the turn of the last century. His father had just died. There wasn't enough to pay for the coffin of my great-grandfather, and so some of the family members had to sacrifice.

My grandfather's life was not a smooth one. He had moments of gloom and yet he had moments of radiant joy. In this post I try to draw some lessons from his life history.

Life Advice from a 90+ old lady

Life is beautiful, but not perfect. Learn to live with it.

This is a repost of a message I received from a friend on Whatsapp.

This is something we should all read at least once a week! Make sure you read to the end!

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain b Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote few lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written."

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will.

4. You don't have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.