By Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda
The bells have pealed the opening of the portals of all hope in the New Year. The ever-marching pallbearers of time have carried the depression-, disease-, and failure-stricken deceased old year to be gladly buried in the cemetery of oblivion. Do not again conjure up the spectre of the trialsome past year to stalk silently on the fields of your soul forces and scare your determination, enthusiasm, and perseverance away.
Behold, through the gates of the New Year, the distant variegated decorations of future achievements glimmering at you and daringly luring you to give pursuit. Simply watching them with the hope of accomplishment will not count. You must start racing calmly at top speed, performing miracles of greater speed on the way, armed with divine determination against the robbers of mental and physical idleness, lack of creative ability, doubt, fear, despondency, and bad habits.
The path may be sunlit by opportunities or dreary with trials; but remember to try your utmost, and then try again and again after you think that you have done your best and can do no more. After making such an effort, then, out of the gloom of mysteries, the all-illuminating light of the Divine Guidance will emblazon your path.
Before His light all darkness will fly away and His messengers of wisdom will clasp the hand of your infant determination and lead the footsteps of your conscious efforts unerringly, fearlessly, through your strength-testing trials to the goal of ever-satisfying fulfilment. Hope and faith in the divine guidance of your consciously initiated, continued efforts for material and spiritual success will quickly lead you to your goal, already dimly visible through the portals of the New Year.
Come, ye brother idlers, shirkers, and enthusiasts, and, with awakened lasting zeal and continuous striving, follow the golden trail of achievement so clearly visible through the assuring welcoming portals of the New Year.
As you are hoping to return home after the trails of many incarnations, God is impatiently, with a greater burning desire, hoping that you will, of your own heaven-awarded free will, soon direct your joyously willing, truant footsteps to march toward the sanctuary of complete inner fulfilment, there to rest in the Home of Infinity.
