2024 – A year of changes

EVERY New Year we reflect on our past and refresh and renew for a New Year. The reflections, feelings and determinations are personal. Most of the people do not share it with others. We have been through this annual process throughout our life. Yet things change, incidents happen and life continues. This is the human miracle, life goes on. 

Individual life is connected to family life. The family never changes, the family will have additions and losses. Friends circle changes as we move around, primary school friends, high school friends, college friends, neighbor friends, work friends, hostel friends and there are many categories of friends out of which classmates are the best and then the neighbors. 

Life always faces issues, some are good, some are bad, some are difficult to handle and some change our life. The important thing to know is that the dates, calendars, etc. are to remind you about the time you passed in your life. Whatever happens, days, weeks, months and years pass us without paying attention to what is happening to us. 

LIFE GOES ON. I feel that instead of us passing time and getting old, time passes us while we live in this world. Sometimes we move around and time continues to pass us. As we move from childhood to adulthood to old age, events happen in our lives, some natural and some planned, but most unpredictable. Everybody has personal experience that mostly influences one’s life. Local community or social or religious events, government functions, national affairs and world events may have some impact on our lives, but mostly the events that happen in the family, work or business has an influence on our lives.

Let us reflect and think or remember things that happened in our lives. Let us analyze and figure out the good and positive and the bad and negative things that happened in our lives and also the unexpected mishaps that had a major impact on our lives. We see that with all these various things happening in our lives, we still move forward with hope and optimism. That is what life is all about. Think positive, talk positive and act positive.

Let us look forward and think what is going to happen. When I left Kerala in 1973, I never knew that in 50 years so many changes would happen to me, my family, my friends, Kerala, India and the world. Everything has changed in 50 years, technology turned us around, the standard of living of people we know has improved, transportation facilities and methods have been transformed, lifestyles have changed, communication methods have been revolutionized and the quality of life of newer generations constantly improved. 

More Malayalees migrated out of India and it is believed that Malayalees are in 198 countries. Kerala became a rich state with more than 2500000 migrant workers from Northern India. India has become among the five most economically successful countries. As time passes and years go by, we expect to see more changes.
As our journey enters 2024, what can we expect to happen in the world? We expected a war-free, peaceful 21st century. What we see now is more conflicts and war in the world. Major elections are going to take place in India, the USA and the Soviet Union, which may influence major changes in these countries. Artificial Intelligence and other technological advancements can have revolutionary changes in how we communicate. 

More explorations to the Moon, Mars and Universe may discover more about life and activities of stars and galaxies in the universe. Medical and scientific research can advance techniques to cure diseases and discover more treatment techniques. Climate change can create stronger and more destructive weather patterns. Life on earth may change.

Covid-19 and related viruses are still infecting people even though we do not call them a pandemic. Because people travel much more internationally, it is possible that any fast-infecting virus can become a pandemic. A lot of advances will be made in health care in 2024. New cures or treatments are becoming more effective in curing cancer. 

We can see the applications of Artificial Intelligence evolving in 2024. India and Indian technocrats will continue to dominate the technology industry in the world. India will make advances in space technology.

2024 is also an important political year in the world. Vladimir Putin is running again as President of the Soviet Union, US President Joseph Biden is running for a second term and will most probably be challenged by Donald Trump for the second time and  BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to get a third five-year term. If the same leaders get elected, we may not see a major change in policies. 

There may be elections in many other countries. Hopefully, they will find a lasting solution between Israel and the Palestinians. Saudi Arabia has declared major changes and will open the country to the world with more tourism and outside investments. China will continue its current communist authoritarian rule.

Lots of unpredictable things happen. Modern communication tools like WhatsApp have made it easy to communicate seeing each other without any cost, the distances are shortened by this, people are in touch more and information is updated constantly. 

We continue our lives, face challenges, and enjoy comforts and technology. Hopefully, the world will be more peaceful, life will be less stressful and a new generation will blossom with great hope. Be positive!

HAVE A HAPPY, PEACEFUL AND HEALTHY 2024