And on the 2nd day

It occurred to me that my post from yesterday really looked like a resolution.

I didn’t intend for it to be that way; I had been thinking about traditions.  Our tradition is to spend the day with friends.  It was a brief visit this year because my wife and I were absolutely exhausted but it was fun.  We look forward to it each year even though we don’t always make it.  That was really all I was thinking, how the day has engendered traditions.

I don’t make even make resolutions.  I try to look at my life and since I do see the first day of the year as a significant, well, signifier of change, I look for ways to improve on what I did in the previous year.

OK, I make resolutions.

But I didn’t mean to make a post about how resolutions shouldn’t be restrictive let alone necessary and then go ahead and make a resolution.  It was just something that I had been thinking about that I wanted to share, that’s all.  We should take advantage of every day as best we can.  I am by far not the best at doing this, but I thought it was a good way to approach things.

Oh well, be good and have a good year.

I have to go write a sonnet now.

January 1, 2014

So it is the first day of a New Year, a new beginning, a time to make resolutions and to make changes in your life.

But really it’s just an arbitrary date that we’ve chosen; an artifact of a calendar that has changed over the centuries.  This day isn’t really different than any other day, though I do see this as a special day myself.  I recognize that is a personal feeling but a new year has begun.  Other people celebrate this day but I don’t know if they feel the same way that I do about it.  For some people New Year’s Eve is the big event.  That’s fine.  Everyone can celebrate in their own way, but I think it’s useful to focus on January 1^st as a time of beginnings. 

If you made resolutions to change your life for the better, then good for you.  It’s good to improve yourself in whatever way you choose.  Make needed changes and work to make yourself and your life better.  But don’t fret about January 1^st.  If you started today, fine, but if you miss it, don’t give up because of that, just start tomorrow.  If you make it to January 10^th or March 2^nd or May 4^th and then your resolve falls apart don’t worry about that either.  Maybe your resolutions were too ambitious, or maybe they were unattainable or maybe you just had a bad day.  It’s good to have goals that you try to achieve but don’t let the goal be an obstacle.

So you didn’t go to the gym every day and you haven’t been eating better at every meal.  Maybe you haven’t been a nicer person to everyone and you haven’t been able to write a sonnet every day.  So what?  Maybe you just need to revise your goals or maybe you just need a day off.  I have the feeling that a lot of people give up on their resolutions once they have a single misstep.  I’ve done that.  It’s human nature, and it’s hard to overcome.  Still, I think it’s worth trying to get over it.  If you don’t start right away or you can’t quite keep up with what you wanted to do don’t give up completely.

It’s a new year, a chance to see things in a new light and to start thinking in a new way.  Of course things don’t really change just because it’s January 1^st.  The rest of your life hasn’t reset itself just because the calendar rolled around to a new year.  Work keeps on going, or the look for work keeps on, and the demands of life are still there – maybe it’s all even a little more pressing because you took some time off for the holidays.  Fine, do what you have to do to keep life going and your world in order.  I hope things run as smoothly as possible for everyone.

But do think about it being a new year.  It’s New Years Day.  Celebrate, relax, enjoy.  And tomorrow go about your business, but maybe look at things a little differently.  Sure, it’s going to be January 2^nd and it will be Thursday and just another ordinary day.  Try to make that day a good day.  No, I’m not trying to spout platitudes about making the world what you want it to be, I don’t know anyone with that kind of control over the world and if you can do that give me a call.  If you’re that powerful you’ll know my number.

What I am suggesting is that if you have that feeling of newness and potential that can come with New Year’s Day don’t leave it behind.  Keep that thought with you as the year progresses.  I intend to try.  Maybe the chance to start something new comes along in three weeks.  I want to keep looking.

Every day is a new day with its own potential and that’s a good thing.