Today is the last day of the year 2025; I am not creating goals for the coming year. I am reviewing what I did for this year. And one of the reviews I have done is about the things that I have lost, damaged, or broken. There is a lot.

In the middle of that process, I started going back to all the years that I had done the same review. Memories went back to all the coolest and best things that I used to have, and they were not with me any more.

My first bicycle topped the list; it was red, medium-sized, and had six gears. It also had a water bottle holder. My mother bought it for me after I passed with flying colours in my Standard Seven exam. 

I used to ride it every day, everywhere. And now I don’t remember what happened to it. Years have passed; I have owned more than five different bicycles. It was replaced without difficulty.

My second favourite item was the Sony music player. And the song by T-Pain, 5 O’clock in the morning, was my favourite in it. I would replay that song for hours. One day I gave the player to my cousin when I went to visit my grandmother in Songea, and he disappeared with it. 

I missed my bus because I went to hunt for him everywhere, I was not ready to leave it with him, or anyone in the world. I managed to find him after four days. Few years have passed, I replaced that with an iPod, then some radios and now with Apple Music on my phone.

My first car was one of my longest dreams in life. I set that dream at a very young age but had no plans. In my first year at university, I made a goal. I wanted my red Toyota Celica before I graduated from the University of Dar es Salaam.

The goal came true, and that car was beautiful and amazing as I envisioned. I took that car everywhere. It travelled from the bumpy paths of Ruaha National Park to the caves of Amboni. Then, it continued along the straight roads of Dodoma. A few years have passed; I sold the car. Years later, I changed cars, changed my dreams and goals about cars. They have replaced it.

I grew up hearing that “Land is wealth.” This means that investing in land is the best investment. I got an opportunity to buy a piece of land in Kigamboni while in my second year at university. I bought it from my grandmother.

Years passed; I didn’t do anything to the land. Because everyone said lands would appreciate in value as time goes by. It went up in value as they predicted, but a twist happened. My grandmother passed away, and someone close to her sold my land to another person. I lost the land.

My first girlfriend was so special to me. She accepted me at a time when I never believed in myself. She was too beautiful for me. She gave me butterflies and those wild feelings that only people in love know. It only lasted for six months; it was a long-distance relationship. She cheated on me, and we broke up.

Well, I wish I could say years have passed; I have replaced her. That doesn’t work in relationships. I still feel some suffering for what she did. And the way she made me feel, the good and the bad, has always been part of my history. All the other girls and women that came into my life created their own feelings, memories, and moments.

Any relationship with any human being is sacred, unique, and special. The interactions, memories, and experiences a person shares with you are irreplaceable. That can be with your parents, siblings, friends, neighbours, or even strangers. The good, the bad, and the undefined; they are irreplaceable.

I have friends who betrayed me. I can’t replace them. That betrayal taught me lessons I needed to learn. I have enemies who have helped me improve. I can’t replace them; they are simply the best enemies anyone could ask for. Any new friend or new enemy will bring something different to the table.

I have siblings that some days I want to kill, and some days I am ready to die for them. I can’t replace them, and each of them is special in their own way. Relationships are among the three things that we don’t own, and we can’t replace them. The other two are health and time.

You don’t own time; either you like it or you don’t, the time will pass by. What you choose to do in the present can be within your influence, but the time will pass. And after it passes, there is nothing you can do to bring it back.

Time moves at its own pace, no matter how excited you feel about the future or how much pain you’re in now and want it to end. You can’t fast-forward the present or bring the future in advance. Time will take its time. You don’t own time; you can only influence how you interact with it as it happens.

I remember the joy and wild moments at university. I consider them my freest days. I cannot recreate those moments even if I choose to go back to university next year. I won’t meet the same people, the same environment, and won’t be in the same state of mind. That has gone.

On the health part, it is biology. I can control what I eat, drink, work out and rest, but I cannot control how I age, when I will die and how I will die. I don’t own my health; I can only influence it. I don’t own my body either. My parents gave it to me at birth, and I will lose it at death. In between, I can only influence how healthy or unhealthy I can be.

In reviewing 2025, I saw that I spent a lot of time on my possessions, which could easily be replaced. It made me stop and focus on what I can influence, like my time, health, and relationships.

I decided to make more intentions about how I will spend my time in the next year. I want to do things that will energize me more, with people that I like, care for, and are less of a drama. And I will do all that while prioritizing my health.

If I focus on making those a priority, the replaceable things will sort themselves out.

What I wish for you this year is the following:

First, stop chasing things that you can always replace; they usually tend not to matter in the long run.

Next, focus on the relationships that matter to you and invest more effort in them. Don’t let your ego get in the way of thinking you can replace people; you won’t. They will leave your life, and new people will arrive. But they won’t bring the same energy, care, concern, lessons, drama, or even hate. Every relationship is unique; treat it accordingly.

Then start paying attention to your health. Eat and drink well. Move your body with different exercises. Rest and focus on getting enough sleep. And take care of your mind and health, as they tend to affect you just as your body does.

And lastly, remember you have a limited time on earth. You were born, you will die. You don’t know when that will be. We lost people in 2025; we will lose some in the coming year. Every second matters, every minute is precious. Every day is never coming back. Live with intention.

All the things you own can be replaced. The things you don’t own are irreplaceable; cherish them.

Happy New Year to you and your loved ones.

#iThinkSo

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be free from suffering.

May you find peace and joy.

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Rogers Katuma

Financial Artist, Senior Adventurer, Occasional Storyteller, Amateur Golfer, Baby Pianist, and Rookie Chessman.