Is it Going to Be a Happy Year
Barrington H. Brennen, January 5, 2021

What makes a new year happy? This question is so important in light of the presence of the corona virus and how fast it is spreading across the nation. Some people are fearful while others are nonchalant. But could we still have a happy new year? I think we can. Happiness is in the heart of the believer that it can happen. It is my view that each individual can decide how they will respond to the difficulties, challenges, and pain.

There is a Chinese proverb that goes: “When the wind of change blows, some build walls, while others build windmills.” Imagine that the presence of the fast-spreading virus is the wind of change. We can build walls or choose to build windmills. The “wind” represents pain, uncertainty, discomfort, or even unexpected tragedy. Walls represent negative attitude, obstruction, fear, doubt, distrust, and fear of moving forward. The windmill represents action or taking advantage of the pain for good. Writer Mukesh Mani wrote about it this way: “The adage of “building windmills” in the midst of the winds of change is a beautiful illustration of how you can harness the flow of life into something positive and creative by being open rather than being in resistance to it.”

My charge to all is to build windmills in 2022. Then, through it all, we can be happy. Windmills are used to pump or move water, or to generate electricity. Both are the result of a positive action – the wind moving the windmill. We all want the corona virus to be gone and never to return. The wind can destroy also – we saw that during Hurricane Dorian and other major hurricanes. However, the proactive person can decide to still utilize the wind for good. Wind can still create electricity or pump water during a hurricane. What are you going to build this year? Will it be walls or windmills?
I affirm that 2022 can be a happy year for each individual if we choose to take advantage of the wind. Actually, since March 2020 (when the first case was confirmed in The Bahamas), many have taken advantage of the wind. Churches have become creative in providing meaningful meetings via virtual platforms. Many social groups have been formed that would not have been formed before to facilitate fellowship, prayer, discussion. Many businesses started online services. It is my view that these methods will not fade away but will enrich the myriad of services that will be provided in the future. How can you take advantage of the wind of 2022?

I call for parents to become more proactive during this difficult time so that their children can still become successful students. I encourage teachers to allow winds of change to make them more creative and caring. Let us all pledge to utilize the wind to make our nation a better place.

Wind forces change. Then, it is almost natural for many to resist change. Mani further wrote: “Only the mind can create resistance to change, everything else is completely one with the flow of life. The reason why the mind can oppose the flow of life is because it has the capacity to think independently/individualistically and thus form interpretations which may or may not be aligned with the flow of life.   The mind can resist change vehemently because it finds security in the “familiar”, and is scared of the unknown/unfamiliar territory that the change proposes to bring.”

Are you going to resist change or harness the wind? There is much beauty ahead of us. Let’s be a part of it. Is it going to be a happy year? You decide.

Barrington H. Brennen is a marriage and family therapist.  Send your comments or questions to question@soencouragement.org or call 242-477 4002 or visit the website at www.soencouragement.org