Someone aptly said that the last week of the year, beginning from December 25 to December 31, is a time of deep introspection and assessment of how the year has been thus far, rather than indulge in mindless revelry and merriment. Agreed, looking forward to a new year is a natural euphoric feeling that's embedded in most of us. Welcoming anything new is a fundamental human nature. And there's nothing wrong or critical about it. But the fag-end of the year is the time that must be utilized to evaluate what we've achieved or failed to achieve in the departing year. A new year is the time to clean the (old) slate and start afresh. It's also the time of new beginnings and explore unchartered territories. We all must realize that time is precious. Years glide by and by the time we realize this, it's too late. 'Waqt jyoon-jyoon raaygaan hota gaya/Zindagi ko kaam yaad aane lage' (As the time flies by/One remembers the unaccomplished and incomplete tasks one by one). The Bard of Avon was right in his observation that, 'Time and tide wait for none.' Mind you, time is a circus, always packing up and moving away. 

We, therefore, should sit calmly and assess what has remained unaccomplished in this year so that it can be accomplished in the year to come. Rather than make impractical new year resolutions that are akin to forever unfulfilled political promises, it's much more pragmatic just to make up one's mind and decide not to repeat this and past years' mistakes. That's much more than making a hollow and shallow resolution. We all make mistakes galore. Jot down the mistakes and wrong decisions that you've made and taken in this year and that have cost you dearly. Tell and convince yourself that you'll not repeat them in the year to come. 

Assess and analyse what went wrong and what gave you true joy and real happiness. Leave the unpleasant with the leaving year and stick to what gave you genuine happiness. Carry it to the new year. Life is all about assessing your deeds, misdeeds, accomplishments and failures. Chuck out what's undesirable and what you should look forward to in the ensuing year.

Urdu poet Behzaad Lakhnavi says, 'Har naye saal ka ye payaam hai/Naya saal, nai sahar, naya kaam hai' (Every new year conveys this message/There's a new year, new dawn and a new task on the horizon).

Expect the best to happen to you and all because when you involve all, you automatically figure among all those who'll benefit and reap the fruits of universal benevolence! Try to be a bit altruistic. It helps you in the long run. Nicety always pays off.   

And never forget to spare a thought for the less privileged in the last week of the year. Don't forget them in the hullabaloo and revelry of festivity. Remember the fellow humans and those who're underprivileged. The happiness shared with all and sundry is the bliss we all can experience as true humans.

May we all have a glorious 2018.