In just a few days, we will bid farewell to 2024 and step boldly into the uncharted territory of 2025. Old calendars will be cast aside, making way for fresh ones filled with untold possibilities. Churches across the land will gather their faithful for vibrant crossover celebrations, turning the final hours of the year into moments of prayer, praise, and anticipation for what lies ahead.
Beyond these changes, life will largely carry on as usual, with everyone returning to their daily routines. After all, a year is simply a span of 365 days—though every four years, an extra day sneaks in to account for the fact that a year is actually 365.25 days long.
A year is simply the time it takes for Earth to complete one full revolution around the Sun. If Earth occupies a specific point, say point A, relative to the Sun today, it will return to that exact spot a year from now. This predictable journey is made possible by Earth’s steady, constant motion as it orbits the Sun.
If Earth ever stopped its motion, the concept of years would vanish—and so would we. Without its steady orbit, Earth would succumb to the Sun’s relentless gravitational pull, plunging straight into its fiery embrace. Life as we know it would be obliterated in a cataclysmic inferno. Thankfully, by divine design, Earth keeps moving, ensuring our survival and the passage of time.
Like Earth in its orbit, we too must keep moving for life to hold meaning. Inevitably, we will stumble and fall—it is part of the human journey. But what defines us is not the fall; it is the resolve to rise again. When we hit the ground, we must summon the strength to pick ourselves up, shake off the dust, and forge ahead. Falling is but just a momentary setback.
No sooner had the Israelites escaped Egypt than Pharaoh unleashed his army in relentless pursuit. Before them loomed an insurmountable obstacle—the vast expanse of the Red Sea. Trapped between Pharaoh’s charging horsemen and the daunting waters, panic gripped the Israelites. In desperation, they cried out to Moses, who in turn sought divine intervention. But God’s response was striking: “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.” This was a call to action.
In one of his iconic songs, Skeffa Chimoto wisely advises, “If you can’t run, walk; if you can’t walk, crawl.” This message underscores the essence of progress: never remain stagnant. Movement, no matter how small, is the key to growth and transformation. Just as the Earth’s continuous orbit gifts us the rhythm of years, our consistent effort propels us toward success in any endeavour.
At just 36, Bob Marley had cemented his place as a global music icon, driven by his unwavering commitment to reggae. Even on December 3, 1976, when gunmen riddled him with bullets in an assassination attempt, Bob’s resolve remained unshaken. Miraculously surviving the attack, he defied all odds by performing at the “Smile Jamaica” concert just two days later. Refusing to let tragedy derail him, Bob left Jamaica a few months later to escape the mounting political violence. In exile in London, he continued to thrive, producing two of his most legendary albums, Exodus and Kaya. Dear reader, take a page from Bob Marley’s story—keep moving forward, no matter the challenges, if you want to achieve greatness in your chosen path.
A year on another planet is far from the same as a year on Earth. While we experience 365 days in a year, Venus completes its orbit around the Sun in just 225 Earth days. Jupiter, on the other hand, takes a staggering 4,333 Earth days—about 12 Earth years—to complete its year. As for Pluto, since its discovery in 1930, it has yet to finish a single year. With a year lasting 248 Earth years, time moves at a vastly different pace in the distant reaches of our solar system.
Years, then, are not uniform across the planets or dwarf planets. Each celestial body has its own rhythm, with some completing their orbits in a fraction of Earth’s time, while others take eons. Despite these vast differences, each planet and dwarf planet behaves according to its unique endowments. Jupiter, though a colossal giant, is barren and uninhabitable, while Venus, often called Earth’s twin due to its similar size, harbors an environment so hellish that it could not support life.
By embracing our uniqueness and honing our skills, we can contribute meaningfully to the world around us, much like the celestial bodies that thrive in their own way, according to their inherent qualities.
Reflecting on a new year
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