On the 31st of December, one year quietly slipped into history, no farewell speeches, no dramatic exit. And here we stand, on the threshold of a brand-new year, with 365 fresh days stretched out before us like an unwritten map.
And ,now comes the uncomfortable question: what exactly are we planning to draw on it?
A masterpiece or another doodle we pretend not to notice?
Most of us probably welcomed the year in grand style. There was music, laughter, food that ignored calorie counts, drinks that encouraged optimism, and the ritualistic countdown. Ten, nine, eight… three, two, one! Cheers, hugs, fireworks, wishes, hope.
And then silently the seconds have started ticking again.
But wait… hadn’t they been ticking all along last year too?
A mild discomfort may probably set in if we look back honestly. Many of us may realise that weeks, months and entire seasons slipped past while we were busy being “very busy” without actually achieving much.
Time, after all, is the only resource that comes with no rewind, no exchange policy, and no second chances. Lose a moment and it’s gone for good.
Yet, how sincerely do we respect time?
We say we are “saving” time while simultaneously “killing” it.
We claim we have all the time in the world until suddenly we don’t have even five minutes.
We complain about time moving too fast, but behave as though it’s on permanent standby.
Am I being a spoiler through this alert?
Friends, time is stubborn. It doesn’t wait for our mood, motivation or Monday mornings. As we were taught in school, “Time and tide wait for no man.” Ironically, despite knowing this, time remains the most neglected asset in our lives.
We postpone the important stuff, health check-ups, family conversations, personal growth, long-held dreams confident that “tomorrow” is a guaranteed appointment. Saint Kabir tried to save us from this illusion centuries ago:
“Kaal kare so aaj kar,
Aaj kare so ab…”
Do tomorrow’s work today. Do today’s work now because life doesn’t send reminders.
Of course, some creative souls rewrote Kabir’s wisdom into, "Aaj kare so kal kar, kal kare so parson…" apparently under the assumption that time has unlimited patience and a soft corner for procrastinators.
No, It certainly doesn’t.
I still remember a powerful session on time management by the then Director of LBSNAA, Shri Sanjeev Chopra, who summed it up beautifully: manage time well, and you will find room not just for responsibility, but also for joy. Planning doesn’t restrict life, it actually gives it breathing space. Regret, as it turns out, is simply unused time returning to haunt us.
Stephen Covey put it perfectly:
“The key is not in spending time, but in investing it.” When we invest time, we give it meaning. We attach it to growth, purpose, and fulfillment. And perhaps that’s why time feels so fast because it doesn’t linger where it isn’t valued.
It feels like just yesterday we were young. Just yesterday our children were racing through the house, scribbling on walls, spilling water and filling our lives with fun-filled joy. Today, we have grown and so have they. Time moved swiftly, silently, without asking for permission.
The future, after all, is something everyone reaches at the reliable speed of 60 minutes an hour.
So as this year unfolds, let’s try something radical: notice time. Catch the pulse of each second. Live consciously. Act courageously. Contribute meaningfully. Let this year not merely pass let it stand for something.
Now for the real question:
When you reach December 31st this year, what is the one thing you want to be proud of?
Don’t just think it write it down. Not in your head, not on “mental notes,” but on actual paper. Let today be the day you stop negotiating with time and start leading it.
And one last challenge:
What is that one thing you’ve been postponing for “tomorrow” that you will do today? A phone call. A health check. A single page of a book. A long-delayed beginning.
So as this year unfolds, let’s try something radical, let’s notice time. Let’s catch the pulse of each second, live consciously, act courageously and contribute meaningfully to the world around us. Let this year not merely pass, but stand for something. When you look back on December 31st, may you smile knowing you didn’t just count days, you made them count.
Here’s wishing you a New Year where time is not just spent, but well invested.
R.Vimala, IAS,
Resident Commissioner & Secretary,
Government of Maharashtra &
PhD Scholar at IIT Bombay
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