Every year, as we take the calendar down from the wall and pin up a new one, it seems the perfect time to reflect on where we have been – and where we are going. While many people set specific goals for the new year, there is always a chorus of moans from people who say resolutions are pointless because most are broken the first day they are made.
Stuffed with the goodies of Christmas – chocolate and cookies and more – a common resolution is to get fit and lose weight, as if having a slightly fitter and trimmer body will completely transform our lives. That resolution is often broken as early as the New Year’s Day dinner and dessert is served.
Others resolve to control spending, quit smoking or get organized. Some set more personal goals, such as to be kind, to listen well or spend more time with family. Jan. 1 gives everyone the chance for a fresh start.
While many resolutions are discarded even before the champagne bottles are recycled, the process of arriving at them is never wasted. Left unexamined, life just spirals on until we get a quick jolt, as we did late Tuesday night with the earthquake that shook our homes. The 4.3-magnitude tremble across southwestern B.C. on Dec. 29 provided a surprise and reminder of the fragility of life. Our circumstances can change quickly, as a stronger earthquake would have clearly illustrated. Life has no guarantees.
That should be our wake-up call to examine where we are, to wonder that if we died today, would we die happy and fulfilled, knowing we had lived our lives well? Would we be happy with the contributions we have made to society and to those we love, including our children and spouses?
While we all make contributions to our community through work, it’s in our closest relationships that we have the most impact on others’ lives, positive or negative. If we are supportive and generous to our children, our partners, our parents, close friends and the co-workers with whom we interact daily, then we will help them live happier lives and have positive energy to make a difference through our work. And setting a true personal goal will propel us through uncertainty, allowing us to move ahead positively through the dark days of winter.
Reflecting on life, on the year that has been and what is ahead is never a waste of time, because at some point, our time will run out.
– Editor Christine Endicott
