Update December 31, 2023 (Tonga Standard Time): I posted this 12 years ago and continue to be deeply humbled by and profoundly grateful for those of you who choose to stop by and read this annual update. Thank you all for your kind comments to me and the community over the years.

PLEASE POST TO THE COMMUNITY: We are a global community that shares New Year's Eve through this post. Please post something you are grateful for or some words of encouragement to others. We can lift each other up globally and take a cup of kindness for the days of auld lang syne.

New Year’s Eve is a moment to reflect upon the year that has passed and the hopes we place in the year to come. 2023 was a difficult year with both continuing and new conflicts over geopolitics, climate and environmental concerns and other challenges that have pushed millions of people into dangerous conditions. It is hard to watch. It is harder to experience. What can one do to help?. At the very least, having compassion for others and an understanding of the oneness of humanity connecting us is important. Then take your chosen action from that perspective.

From the 12 years of your posts, I can understand why Auld Lang Syne has stayed in our collective consciousness for over 200 years. It is about connection with others. The kind of connection that binds you to someone forever: loyalty, friendship, kindness, love; even though that person might not be with you anymore. Auld Lang Syne is also about the human spirit’s ability to hope for the future while enduring rough times by remembering the precious human attributes of friendship, connectedness with our fellow humans, kindness, and love.

LOOK FOR THE HELPERS: As a modern sage once said, “Look for the helpers. There will always be helpers… Because if you look for the helpers, you’ll know that there’s hope.”

For example, while 2023 was the hottest year recorded globally (see the World Meteorological Organization) there are positive changes happening. Wind and solar power are breaking records, and renewables are now expected to overtake coal by 2025 as the world’s largest source of electricity (see International Energy Agency). While food insecurity and displacement is occurring, there has been a rise in humanitarian aid and efforts to assist those in need and suffering.

BE THE HELPERS: So, my friends, as we look toward 2024, I encourage you to be the helpers. You to be the hope. Reach out to your fellow humans: lift them up when they are down, encourage them when they feel defeated, help them see the light of beauty and gratitude when they are lost in the darkness of despair.

As we say goodbye to 2023 and enter the new year, please remember to take a cup of kindness for the days of Auld Lang Syne.

Wishing everyone a blessed, healthy and peaceful 2024! Live life to the fullest and leave only love in your wake.

Saminnyc

Postscript:
“Whether one is rich or poor, educated or illiterate, religious or non-believing, man or woman, black, white, or brown, we are all the same. Physically, emotionally, and mentally, we are all equal. We all share basic needs for food, shelter, safety, and love. We all aspire to happiness and we all shun suffering. Each of us has hopes, worries, fears, and dreams. Each of us wants the best for our family and loved ones. We all experience pain when we suffer loss and joy when we achieve what we seek. On this fundamental level, religion, ethnicity, culture, and language make no difference.” – Dalai Lama

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