'Real freedom is creative, proactive, and will take me into new territories. I am not free if my freedom is predicated on reacting to my past.' - Kenny Loggins

Kenny Loggins is no Montaigne, Arendt or Confucius. His works will not make the shelves of the world's most celebrated libraries, nor will his name survive alongside the heavyweight philosophers of all time.

He is just a soft rock American songwriter whose heartfelt lyrics are inspired by the now almost extinct gift of common sense as well as by an unstifled and 'free' expression of human emotions. 

His words , like the numerous expressions of many rock stars before him might not make the famous bookshelves stacked with  acknowledged  leaden wisdom, but they surely have made the hearts and minds of many people, young and old.

I find the above quote particularly relevant today, after yesterday and before tomorrow.

Today is the first day of the rest of our lives.

Today is the first day of the rest of our country's/ nation's existence.

While for some of us it may also turn out to be the last day of our lives, our country and our nation will live on unless an unlikely cataclysmic occurrence obliterates our land entirely like the mythological Atlantis.

We, as Maltese citizens, whoever we are, whatever our rank and status (if such a thing exists), will come and go. Similarly to what happens on battlefront lines, ranks are closed with replacements, as soon as we fall, before we are even 6 feet under.

However what we do in our lifetime as well as what we do not do in our lifetime will leave its stamp way beyond our physical existence on this planet, in this country.

This goes for everyone, but particularly for the Leaders and decision makers and representatives of any nation, including ours.

It took us fifty years to outwardly bridge the politically motivated, partisan emotional divide in our country, and celebrate our Independence day as a United nation, and all the credit goes to our Prime Minister Joseph Muscat who had the courage to take the much needed leap forward.

The next invaluable move would be to walk the talk, consolidate the unity, and disallow the past from dictating our present and future. Learning from the past is commendable but being shackled by it will simply weigh down our much needed progress.

As a United country we have to decide  together on what  kind of future we want for our nation, whether we want freedom for the select few, or responsible freedom for all.

As a United country we have to decide how best to restore ethics and values that will enrich the fabric of our society. Together we need to review our educational system and our educational instruments and have the courage to question our achievements in this regard and together find and implement the best way forward.

As a United country we have to decide what kind of environment we want to raise our families in, the physical environment we will be forcing on generations to come by the decisions we make or unmake today.

Crucial and momentous environmental and planning decisions are being made as we speak, which can obliterate the rural and architectural character of our islands forever. We are still in time, barely, but still in time.

As a united country we have to look deep into all our institutions and services and together prune the thick mesh of dry entangled branches that is choking the healthy growth of fruit bearing offshoots, and sucking the blood out of our country's limited finances.

I am one of the thousands of Maltese and Gozitans who believe that Together, everything is Possible, and whose belief in this kind of national existence (which has eluded us so far), runs much more than skin deep.

I believe that our present Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition harbour the same wish for a way forward for our Nation. Our country will benefit immeasurably if both find the courage to serve the people and the Nation first, partisan interests later or never.

To my mind, one of the most fascinating books ever written is Michel Proust's 'In Search Of Lost Time..'.. The Leaders of our Nation would do well to read it... And live it.