Fall 2007
The phrase “New Year resolution” is a cliché. It has been recited thousands of times by people wishing to make changes in their lives. Some people have exerted their utmost effort to commit to their resolution and still failed miserably, while others followed through their resolution tactfully and made considerable life style changes.
Our millennium, in spite of all the cynicisms, is fast approaching and we should make The Millennium Resolution. Of course, there are all sorts of perceptions and critical views of the upcoming celebration of the millennium from different camps and interest groups. Some wonder and ask why we celebrate the Millennium after all; while others go so far as enumerating yet denying our existence and accomplishments as a nation. There are all sorts of cynicisms about celebrating the millennium. .
Our millennium, in spite of all the cynicisms, is fast approaching and we should make The Millennium Resolution. Of course, there are all sorts of perceptions and critical views of the upcoming celebration of the millennium from different camps and interest groups. Some wonder and ask why we celebrate the Millennium after all; while others go so far as enumerating yet denying our existence and accomplishments as a nation. There are all sorts of cynicisms about celebrating the millennium. .
Personally, I think September is our New Year, and citizens have celebrated the New Year for thousands of years regardless of all the cynicisms and their circumstances. What makes this event unique is that our nation made it to the millennium, and how about celebrating it for our mere existence, perseverance, hope and optimism about the future? I believe we should be excited about the new era, and plan to make changes on a personal and on a national level.
What should be our millennium resolution? Obviously, everyone has personal goals and resolution. Hopefully our personal goals and accomplishments would somehow spillover and make an impact on the next millennium. I am not going to dwell over things that we didn’t accomplish, or should have accomplished, cite history about our existence, our patriotism, culture and so forth and add to the never ending cynicism and blame game. I would like to focus on the future. To start with, to change our circumstances and our nation, we need to change ourselves from within and partner with individuals who despise bickering and focus on work at least on a micro level with a game plan that their small contribution would transcend to a macro level.
All of us should have a cause or an issue that we commit to passionately. My Personal cause is the environment. Most of us, who have been living in the developed nation enjoying the lush prairies and the densely wooded mountains, can’t stop admiring the beauty of nature. Well, not too long ago, the mountains where most of us grew up used to be green and densely populated with huge tropical trees as well. Seasons kept their cycles, and the rivers were full, humans and cattle’s, and wild animals quenched their thirst. Flowers blossomed; birds in all colors flocked in our back yards and sang beautifully hanging their bird nests on our fences.
Farmers enjoyed productive years and abundant of harvest. Let alone feeding their own family members, they fed strangers traveling through. It sounds too idealistic, and fictional, doesn’t it? But it is true. Today, in most parts of the country the trees have been chopped off, the soils have been eroded and the once lush hills and prairies have become dry and bare, and the birds flew who knows where. And the farmers can’t feed their own family.
All of us should have a cause or an issue that we commit to passionately. My Personal cause is the environment. Most of us, who have been living in the developed nation enjoying the lush prairies and the densely wooded mountains, can’t stop admiring the beauty of nature. Well, not too long ago, the mountains where most of us grew up used to be green and densely populated with huge tropical trees as well. Seasons kept their cycles, and the rivers were full, humans and cattle’s, and wild animals quenched their thirst. Flowers blossomed; birds in all colors flocked in our back yards and sang beautifully hanging their bird nests on our fences.
Farmers enjoyed productive years and abundant of harvest. Let alone feeding their own family members, they fed strangers traveling through. It sounds too idealistic, and fictional, doesn’t it? But it is true. Today, in most parts of the country the trees have been chopped off, the soils have been eroded and the once lush hills and prairies have become dry and bare, and the birds flew who knows where. And the farmers can’t feed their own family.
We can talk about who and what actually depleted the soil, why and who chased the birds and dwell on the blame game, but accomplish nothing. Long ago, I have learned that blame games simply perpetuates deficiency, and bitterness, ultimately making us hostile and counterproductive. So what is our role, or the resolution we can make to replenish the loss? What should we envision for the next millennium? What would be our wish and contribution to the next millennium? I ask myself.
Again, our millennium resolution should be to fight the expansion of the severe environmental problems that has been ravishing and subjected us to recurring famine and starvation. As one segment of the cynics wants us to believe, it is no demon, nor curse, nor an unforgivable sin that our ancestors or we committed. Our innocent children, poor peasants, and ordinary Ethiopians are no worse and hard core sinners than the people in the so called highly civilized society for the almighty God to cast such a cruel curse or judgment on us. I tend to believe that God is good and kind. We are dealing with a global environmental change and a lack of long-term and sustainable strategic planning, GARLAND and as in other disciplines, and concerned citizens that can make significant change and halt the expansion.
For the next millennium, I would plead to our scientists, engineers, economists, business owners, the artists and the social activists to have an all-rounded view of our circumstances and try to focus on the future. Economic advancement and the environment go hand in hand. Poverty forces people to disregard the critical importance of the environment, and their own value system that mere daily survival becomes the primary purpose. In the next millennium, I would like to envision that our people have purpose to live for, not mere survival. And one of those purposes would be taking care of nature. That we as citizens vow to be good stewardships to nature and proof the expression that “it is no the land, it is the man on the land that makes the difference”. The land has been given to us to use is responsibly, and not to abuse or neglect the gift of nature.
Galvanizing people on a grass root level to participate in taking care of nature and nurturing their surroundings is no easy task. It may even seem too ambitious and unattainable, and that I am simply romanticizing the impossible task. But if individuals, private and government institutions partner with each other and advocate consciousness and awareness about the environment, they can make significant differences.
Again, our millennium resolution should be to fight the expansion of the severe environmental problems that has been ravishing and subjected us to recurring famine and starvation. As one segment of the cynics wants us to believe, it is no demon, nor curse, nor an unforgivable sin that our ancestors or we committed. Our innocent children, poor peasants, and ordinary Ethiopians are no worse and hard core sinners than the people in the so called highly civilized society for the almighty God to cast such a cruel curse or judgment on us. I tend to believe that God is good and kind. We are dealing with a global environmental change and a lack of long-term and sustainable strategic planning, GARLAND and as in other disciplines, and concerned citizens that can make significant change and halt the expansion.
For the next millennium, I would plead to our scientists, engineers, economists, business owners, the artists and the social activists to have an all-rounded view of our circumstances and try to focus on the future. Economic advancement and the environment go hand in hand. Poverty forces people to disregard the critical importance of the environment, and their own value system that mere daily survival becomes the primary purpose. In the next millennium, I would like to envision that our people have purpose to live for, not mere survival. And one of those purposes would be taking care of nature. That we as citizens vow to be good stewardships to nature and proof the expression that “it is no the land, it is the man on the land that makes the difference”. The land has been given to us to use is responsibly, and not to abuse or neglect the gift of nature.
Galvanizing people on a grass root level to participate in taking care of nature and nurturing their surroundings is no easy task. It may even seem too ambitious and unattainable, and that I am simply romanticizing the impossible task. But if individuals, private and government institutions partner with each other and advocate consciousness and awareness about the environment, they can make significant differences.
In the next millennium I would hope our grand children, and great grand children will burry their hatchet and be able to live together with their differences enjoying the beauty of nature. There will not be exiles, and they will leave their country only for tourism purposes. There will be a high level of voluntary compliance, civility and a great respect for natural law and order, and co-existence. The stigma of poverty and destitution will be history. They proudly and peacefully face their challenges instead of abandoning their hometown’s, villages, and ultimately their country making their children and great grand children victims of identity crisis, and bewilderment in a foreign land. They will take pride in the lowlands, the highlands and the arid plateau of every region in their own county.
The old and the feeble will be able to live long to see their grand children and great grand children in their own country. They will be able to reminiscence, share positive stories that their grandchildren can learn from and gain valuable experiences and build their nation to make it secured and comfortable for all citizens. So their offspring’s wouldn’t run off and set fire on the wilderness, and the mountains disrupting the ecosystem, or migrate to the foreign land and partner with strangers to wage war and perpetuate hate and hostility
In the next millennium, individuals who contributed risking their lives will be able to enjoy the fruits of their hard labor, intellectual contribution, artistic and scientific creation, and innovations. That they can look back proudly and appreciate their struggle, and the struggles of their ancestors. Like any citizen, they will stroll down in the national parks with complete peace and tranquility. The next millennium generation will learn from their success and mistakes to build on it rather than trying to build from the scratch by reinventing the wheel. Yes, it sounds too idealistic and optimistic. But it is possible, and worth making a millennium resolution.
(Yonas Assefa works and lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is an accomplished and published author and a regular contributor to The Ethio-American Magazine on line )
The old and the feeble will be able to live long to see their grand children and great grand children in their own country. They will be able to reminiscence, share positive stories that their grandchildren can learn from and gain valuable experiences and build their nation to make it secured and comfortable for all citizens. So their offspring’s wouldn’t run off and set fire on the wilderness, and the mountains disrupting the ecosystem, or migrate to the foreign land and partner with strangers to wage war and perpetuate hate and hostility
In the next millennium, individuals who contributed risking their lives will be able to enjoy the fruits of their hard labor, intellectual contribution, artistic and scientific creation, and innovations. That they can look back proudly and appreciate their struggle, and the struggles of their ancestors. Like any citizen, they will stroll down in the national parks with complete peace and tranquility. The next millennium generation will learn from their success and mistakes to build on it rather than trying to build from the scratch by reinventing the wheel. Yes, it sounds too idealistic and optimistic. But it is possible, and worth making a millennium resolution.
(Yonas Assefa works and lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is an accomplished and published author and a regular contributor to The Ethio-American Magazine on line )
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