“And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: ‘Give me light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’
“And he replied: ‘Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.’
“So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.”
The foregoing words are from the 1908 poem The Gate of the Year by Minnie Louise Haskins who was famously quoted by King George VI in his 1939 Royal Christmas Message at the onset of World War II.
Haskins’ poignant poem offers solace and guidance for those who are afraid of what New Year 2025 might bring, or a bit bothered by the uncertainties ahead that can evoke a complex blend of hope and anxiety.
Although a recent survey by Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed that 90 percent of adult Filipinos are facing 2025 with hope rather than fear, such percentage reflects a decline in optimism—the lowest in 15 years. Conducted from Dec. 12 to 18, the survey showed 10 percent of respondents are fearful of 2025, a notable increase from a mere 3 percent a year ago.
Every New Year presents a crossroads. As the past year fades into memory, the year ahead stretches in an unknown expanse with compelling questions: Will it bring triumphs or more trials? Will our carefully laid plans lead to success, or will unforeseen challenges obstruct or reshape our path?
The unpredictability of the future can be daunting. It can strike fear in some of us, as we cannot control everything that unfolds. But it is such lack of control that makes faith essential. To place our hand in the Hand of God is to have faith in divine guidance, to trust in a Supreme Being who sees beyond the horizon that is yet unfathomable.
To have faith in divine wisdom is to overcome fear, to adjust our sails as we cannot direct how the wind blows, and to believe that whatever unfolds will ultimately contribute to our growth and purpose in life.
Though written in 1908, Haskins’ poem remains relevant for its timeless insights on faith amid uncertainties along a journey through darkness. In this modern era of rapid changes, existential threats, and pervasive anxiety, the poem affirms that strength often lies not in knowing every step ahead but in trusting in God to guide us.
Its profound simplicity offers a perspective that can be particularly poignant for people on the brink of despair due to personal loss, for leaders facing crises, or for communities grappling with collective uncertainty while undergoing daily hardships.
For millions of impoverished Filipinos struggling with continuing inflation, the poem’s message is particularly significant. The darkness of economic hardship—characterized by rising prices, stagnant wages, and daily challenges to make ends meet—can be overwhelming indeed.
The poem’s opening plea for “light” is a cry for relief or any help to overcome the suffocating burden of financial instability. The response to instead “put your hand into the Hand of God” reminds us that faith and hope remain essential even in the bleakest circumstances.
The 2025 midterm elections mirror the darkness described in the poem, with our political dysfunction and the many ills it nurtures: patronage politics, alliances of unprincipled opportunists, vote-buying, election-related violence, etc. For voters, the “light” they seek might be for clear solutions to pressing issues. But the response could be a call for a resolve to pursue active citizenship.
It is a resolve to engage thoughtfully, to evaluate candidates thoroughly, to make the voice of the people truly the voice of God in moving towards the promise of renewal that elections symbolize. Just as dawn follows darkness, the electoral process offers new beginnings.
The unknown ahead can be less intimidating if we bear in mind that darkness, far from being an end, holds the promise of dawn and a new beginning. Haskins’ poem encourages us not merely to tackle the uncertainties of life, but to face them with courage, joy, and unwavering faith. (Email: [email protected])
