MOULTING

In a natural process called ecdysis or moulting, a snake peels off its skin to replace the old and worn-out scales and to rid itself of parasites. The snake’s old skin becomes dry and its inner surface liquefies and separates from the new skin under it. The younger snakes shed their skin up to four times a year while the older ones have a yearly skin renewal.

Renewal is part of life’s constant cycle of change. In very much the same way as the snake does, there is that constancy with which man must naturally renew not only the epidermal part of his being, but more importantly the circumstance of his soul. And there is no better time to reflect on renewal than when a new year begins.

New Year offers hope – that something can be done, that what seems impossible can be accomplished, that situations can be improved, and that our persons can be developed.

New Year offers excitement and endless possibilities – that we can be part of a larger scheme, that through us new ideas can incarnate, that we can contribute to make something or someone better, and that by contributing to change, we become changed ourselves.

New Year offers freshness – that we can shed bits and pieces of our own ugliness and embrace beauty in a non-skin-deep way, that we can be more appreciative even of the mundane and the common, that we can replace what is sordid, mean and cruel with what is “true, good, and beautiful” and that by being refreshed we can open our eyes and see through a kinder perspective.

New Year offers age – that along with it comes the maturity of the soul, that we can acknowledge the limitations of our mortality in more accepting ways, that while we are given every occasion to care for our body we also take advantage of every opportunity to egg our spirit to perfection, and that in making our years count, we gracefully “surrender the things of youth”.

New Year offers new beginnings and the first few steps towards surpassing our own marks. 2009 was a very significant year for me. I made my marks. It is my hope that 2010 will be as much, if not more.