All celebrations are meaningful when we get to share them with the ones we love & care about. And there is no other social construct as a family that truly cares about us.
January 1st is also commemorated as Global family day – an international day of peace and sharing. It grew out of the United Nations millennium celebration, “One Day of Peace,” on January 1st, 2000, with a hope of uniting people and spreading peace, promoting the idea of Earth as one global family, in order to make it a better place to live for everyone.
What do you think you can you do towards building a global family while just being home? Mother Teresa said – “If you want to bring happiness to the whole world, go home and love your family.” How true that statement is! If we go to the ends of the earth striving for peace, but do not have it within our four walls, what good is it?
This new year, let us make every effort to bring love, joy and peace right where we live. Let us begin in our homes – have a regular uncompromising family time even in the midst of busy work or study schedules, have a family meal together, set no-phone or undisturbed family time, identify a family game involving kids from the eldest to the youngest, share jokes, laugh together, open up about your feelings, and the list can go on.
Nevertheless, do not confine your understanding of the family just to your near and dear ones. Mother Teresa also said, “The problem with our world is that we draw the circle of family too small.” Let us ever be widening these circles and extending the same familial love to more and more people around us. Jesus Christ in his teachings said, the greatest commandment is to love God, and the second one is equally important – love your neighbour as yourself.
Let’s share our love and spread peace without boundaries. With everyone doing their bit, this world can surely be made a better place to live in. May this new year bring us all together as one global family!
