By Victory Akpomedaye

We have made it to the last day of the year and this is something to be grateful to God for. I won’t shy away from the fact that there were struggles in 2021, especially considering how Covid-19 has continued to ravage the health and social life of Nigerians.

Even though it sounds cliché, I understand that the popular saying “Where there is life, there is hope” is true. Looking around, one cannot even count the number of friends, family, colleagues and loved ones that have died this year, including those who probably had a better chance of living long, owing to their healthy lifestyle but just suddenly passed on.

I have seen people pass on at the slightest illness like malaria, headache, stomach ache et al. I have also seen people who were hale and hearty sleep but never woke up the next day. Strange things just happen and we are perplexed. In fact, waking up to see the dawn of a new day is a miracle. Suicide rate is alarmingly high and young folks who are meant to be resilient just decide to end life’s struggles by taking their own life . People’s emotional and mental health are at a pathetic zero and one begins to question the old saying if there is truly light at the end of the tunnel.

But amidst the chaos that have been erupting around, you still stand. This goes to show that you aren’t just blessed with the life in you. You have made it this far for a reason. And that reason is rooted in the very purpose you were created. While not mocking or spiting the lost ones and the down trodden, you can be said to be tough. I have been that told tough times don’t last, tough people do. I agree. Now this is not a motivational piece but if it spurs someone up, I will be glad. If a man has lost everything around him and he is still alive with a sound mind, he hasn’t lost the exact thing it will take for him to recover. Going through stuff and still keeping the spirit, soul and body together means that such a person is meant for something more palatable than the harrowing experiences they will ever go through. And that is why I am glad that it is not by sheer luck you have made it this far. You have made this far because of a purpose that you probably have discovered or may need to discover.

And as 2022 starts tomorrow, you have to run with that impression of a purposeful living. A life that will not leave anything to chance or operate by default. The three and sixty-five days in the incoming year may be just what you need to fulfil your destiny and create a lasting impact in your immediate surroundings. People fail by fault and succeed by choice. Making 2022 count will be worth your while when you look at how you survived 2021.

At this juncture, I will boldly admit that where there is life, there is hope. And the hope lays before you. It has taken the shape of 2022 and I can only wish you the best as you soar even higher with your dreams and goals.