We are very fortunate to be living in a society where we are able to live our lives to the fullest and with many interests that we can pursue. If we want to appreciate art, there are always the museums and photo galleries that we can visit. If we love taking photos, there’s always the photography courses nearby that we can enroll in. Because of such freedom, the areas of interest that we can explore are almost limitless.

While this seems to be a good thing, there’s a flip side to it (as in most things in life).  And the main cause of the drawback is the fact that the value of abstinence is losing its importance in society. Once again, it will be interesting to note that this is due to the erosion of values. If one values honesty, why will one steal? If one values diligence, why will one cheat in a test? If one values respect, why will one fight? Therefore, there’s a strong co-relation between values and abstinence. When one loses his or her values, the value that one attributes to abstinence also falls.

In recent years, there have been cases of binge drinking among teenagers. While certain social events or circumstances may induce them to drink, it is important to note that they have the choice to say no. But many didn’t. Why? Because they have not hold on fast to the value of abstinence. And it is not only excessive drinking that is causing social problems. Keep track of the news and we will see that ignoring the value of abstinence is creating worse problems than mere binge drinking.

So, as the new year arrives, I hope that we are able to regain the understanding and importance of abstinence but more importantly, I hope that we will hold on to this value tighter than before.  I believe that it’s only through the right values that we hold that we can achieve this.