So, yes or no on the whole New Year's resolution thing?

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I know that it is all chic and everything, or maybe hip and cool, or maybe *something* to pooh-pooh the whole New Year's Resolution thing. "I never keep 'em anyway" or "What's the point?" or "What does turning a calendar page have to do with anything? I'll just change myself as I go along."

And I say, yeah, right. How's that working for you?

I tend to think that New Year's Resolutions, when honestly thought about are an interesting discipline. You know, kinda like the discipline Holy Mother Church imposes on us by making every Sunday a Holy Day of Obligation. She knows that, left to my own devices, I would say things like, "Oh, I can worship God just as well in a park as in a church." (Which can be true, certainly.) BUT, and here is the big BUT: Do you?

I don't. If I didn't get myself up, dressed and off to Mass on Sunday mornings, pretty soon I'd be drinking diet coke and eating toast and not thinking about God at all. Oh, I'd think, I'll get around to my prayer time (drumroll, here) pretty soon.

Yeah.

What I know is that for me, and I suspect millions of people like me (I'm not prideful enough to think I'm all that different), no discipline, no set time, no "arbitrary date", no review, no introspection, no change.

It's like Reconciliation. When we don't make it a REGULAR part of our lives, it gets away from us and we turn around a POOF! it's been 6 months and we haven't been. Not 'cause we don't need to go. Because we haven't sat down and set up an unchangeable, fixed time to do it.

So, too, New Year's Resolutions. When I get out my new calendar, I spend a little time reviewing my old calendar. Seeing what went on. In the past, I've also reviewed my blog entries--looking at what caught my attention, things I wanted to remember, books I've read. And I think about what I wish I had done differently. It's not a time that I beat myself up. But it IS a time for honest introspection.

And then I think about what I need to change, and try to figure out how to implement them. If I don't, then my wishes just stay that, wishes and never turn into anything more.

Oh, and by the way, I don't just make resolutions on Jan 1. I usually do a check in at the beginning of Lent. Then again at the beginning of the long, green tunnel of ordinary time after Eastertide. Then a mini-look at the beginning of Advent.

Some years I have had great success. Others, not so much. But at least I am still trying. I guess that's the point--the effort. It's hard to change, and not much fun. (Ask me next week when I am in the throes of Diet Coke withdrawal syndrome--they ARE addictive, you know!) And I know that's why I have to make the resolutions. Without 'em, I'd be the same next year, or worse, than I am now.

And I can't afford that.

So, what are the first resolutions of 2011? They're pretty tiny. I hope I can have 'em under control by the beginning of Lent, 65 days hence. Then I'll add on. Here they are:

1. Get up 15 minutes earlier for morning prayer.
2. No computer 'til after #1.
3. Kitchen bar cleaned off every evening before bed.
4. Dishwasher loaded, extras washed every evening before bed.
5. Bed made every morning before leaving or before the McKid gets here.

That's it, to start. I think it will begin bringing an order to my life that I have sorely lacked the past year or so. Once small order is put into place, then it'll be time for bigger projects.

So, how 'bout you? Any resolutions in mind?

Happy Sunday, ya'll!

2 Comments

Thanks for joining the party!

Kathy

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This page contains a single entry by MamaT published on January 2, 2011 1:46 PM.

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