Last Year

As the end of a year draws near, many magazines like Time and Newsweek like to look back at the year and remind us of important events in the year. Some of those events are funny, sad or inspiring. Usually politicians and entertainers are seen as “newsworthy” - worthy to be reported in the news.

In our own lives, there are events, lessons, relationships, changes and phases that went on last year. If you were preparing a magazine article on “My Life Last Year”, what kinds of things would you include in your article?

What are major events, lessons, relationships, changes or phases of your life last year?

What are some of the major events of last year for your native country? How do those events affect your own life, or the lives of those that you love and care about?

What are some of the major events of the company you worked for last year? Or the school you attended?

Looking over your entire life, what years stand out as years that were most significant to you? Explain some detail.

Look at this sample of Jewish poetry from around 1000BC. How many of these events occurred in your life last year?

“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven -

A time to give birth, and a time to die;
A time to kill, and a time to heal.
A time to tear down, and a time to build up.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh.
A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace, and a time to avoid embracing.
A time to search, and a time to give up as lost.
A time to keep, and a time to throw away.
A time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate.”

Do you agree that there is an appointed time for all of these kinds of things in everyone’s life, some people’s lives, or your life? Explain.