REFLECTIONS: No more New Year resolutions

How time flies so fast! It was just yesterday when we screamed our voices hoarse to bid 2011 farewell. I am already picturing myself marveling at fireworks at Sheraton Kampala Hotel, asking 2013 to give way to 2014. The way years are rushing these days, one had better befriend the Mayans who seem to know more about the end of the world than the rest of us.

What if the world ends today? Not that I take fiction serious. Even as a shy atheist, the last thing I would take seriously is that someday, a made-up character called Jesus shall return to judge the dead and living. So you can imagine how much I despise debate on the end of the world propagated by whoever still has time to think the world has time for such idle talk.

But because I live in an age where anything is possible, I am forced to leave room for the benefit of doubt. Owing to that, a fragment of my conscience finds making New Year resolutions worthless as the world will end any time.

Even life can end any time: The heart-breaking and abrupt death of lively Butaleja Woman MP, Cerinah Nebanda (RIP) got me thinking and asking hard questions. As someone who often interacted with her, I admired her zeal, charisma and ambition to transform society. She one time shared with me plans of establishing an NGO to help the rural poor access quality education and healthcare. The beastly angel of death has dealt all those plans a blow. Nebanda’s vision of a happy constituency is virtually gone now.

How suddenly we can leave this world. I am making no New Year resolution, I shall do my best in the New Year to become better than I was in 2012 and that is it. May be that will save those who know more misery when I go any time before 2013 ends. At least there won’t be someone cursing God for calling me before I accomplished resolution X.

Tired of following bandwagons: Surely if one should make a resolution this year, it should be to act oneself and abstain from bandwagons. If newspapers could resolve to, once stop telling us the same year in year out tales of how, why and when to make resolutions.

I think I want to see how many Ugandans stick to, let alone achieve majority of their so called New Year resolutions. Personally, I lose track of them once the New Year dust settles. The government’s spin masters can testify how many of their development plans, akin to New Year resolutions ever see the light of day.

Come to think of it and it all zeroes down on doing things for formality, to fit in crowds and to be seen to be doing them. Otherwise, it is all useless and merely taking life from a scholarly and academic angle. I am not sure if I want to be part of that bunch. Happy New Year free of the New Year resolutions craze.