
By - Akangjungla
It is ritualistic to mark the end of the year with the question, ‘what is your hope for the new year?’ The response differs and reflects on the context, perception, knowledge and conditions set for the discourse. The theme of hope serves as the continuity of time and the transition from the old to the new. To be confident, expectant and optimistic expresses the face of hope. With movement and action applied to the idea of hope, these expressions can be manifested; it means the approach to hope must be guided by consciousness of commitment and execution with the expectation to achieve positive outcome. The content of hope comes from the place of recognising the need for change and making room for progress.
Human nature has become such that we hold on to our own understanding, thoughts and knowledge, and push for it until the others agree or there is a disagreement. The truthfulness about one’s identity and relevance often discovered or revealed only in community with others has thinned out. If we were to go back to a decade or so, the feeling of excitement breeding from belonging to a community and living a shared experience was on a daily basis occurrence. The idea of ‘shared’ and ‘collective’ guided the people. The association as a community benefited the individuals as it offered them sense of togetherness, safety and security, social support, among other benefits.
The interaction between the shared hope and community life put together a fertile ground to attain the confident goals one hopes to achieve in the future. Shared hope leads to common action. In a recent feature published by this newspaper, the people of Nagaland reflected on their hopes and aspirations for the future. From academicians, entrepreneurs, cultural leaders, and activists, their voices highlighted the collective hope for a brighter and more unified Nagaland. The world remains caught up in so much distress and ambiguity - be it war, disease, poverty, corruption, injustice. And every time someone is asked ‘what is your hope for the new year?’ their answer directs towards the need to look at the world through the eyes of the shared faith and hope, and rarely as a single person. Inorder to live through the hospitality of time, and to arrive at the place of confident expectancy, it will require for mankind to hold on to the active characteristic and the eternal nature of hope. Shared hope is where we will reclaim the sense of togetherness, safety and security and support.
Comments can be sent to akangjungla@gmail.com