High hopes and best wishes. The conventional customs as people ring in the New Year. Along with birthdays, the changing year is a marker in the unending cycle of life. And though a new calendar year does not absolve the mistakes or disappointments of yesteryear, it gives hope that something better may be on the horizon if we make it so.
The closing year not an end in itself, but another milestone in a nation's long journey.
The passing of two notable figures in the nation's recent political history - former president Abdurrahman Wahid and former minister Frans Seda - were poignant reminders that the gains of today was built on the sacrifice and pains of the past.
Many dreams of civil society remain unaccomplished and need our attention in the coming 12 months.
In every cycle of time there will also be triumphs and tragedies. That is a given state of life. Like health and sickness. Success and failures.
The successful conclusion of two major national elections was one such triumph displaying the growing maturity of the democratic practice in this country. Who would have thought in 1999 that we could hold such vibrant, peaceful and relatively mature elections.
A sign that Indonesia is not only becoming the world's third largest democracy, but on its way to becoming the world's third greatest democracy.
The twin bombings of two major hotels in Jakarta was one of the tragedies that unfolded. Unlike the earthquakes which were an act of nature, the brutal taking of lives by our fellow men is a disgusting curse which needs to be exorcised.
But Indonesians can prevail over tragedies. With determination, good intentions, and the collective spirit of gotong royong, this nation has made it a habit to overcome the most dire of challenges.
Indonesians in 2010 will prevail from the calamities of the past year.
But heartbreaks and broken expectations are more difficult to mend.
The results of the legislative and presidential election raised expectations and hope for better, if not for good governance. In the wake of these elections, however, what the people got was exposure to more scandal, the arrogance of power and political maneuvers.
In short, a growing loss of hope in the systems and leadership to which they faithfully yielded their mandate.
This complex political tittle-tattle knows no New Year break. It will continue to roll in a confusing diatribe of recriminations and pretentious showboating.
The good are painted as villains, while the scoundrels become martyrs.
But if as a nation this is part of the ordeal that we have to go through, then let us do it thoroughly in 2010. Let us brush aside the political spider's webs and nests of corruption that have contaminated our branches of government.
Let the triumphs come and the tragedies go, as they naturally should. But most important let us make sure that in twelve months time we will not carry the same disappointments that we did twelve months earlier.
If so, then the nation will truly have failed to progress.
To a blessed 2010 and the realizing of the dreams of a great and pluralist, democratic nation.
