New Beginnings

I have never been one to make New Year’s resolutions. I used to see a crowd of new people at the gym every year for about two weeks after January 1, then they disappeared.  That is what New Year’s resolutions meant to me.  They were something that lasted for about as long as my bravado lasted.  I wanted something more meaningful.  I wanted to make a choice about the kind of person that I wanted to be.  I wanted to be that person, come what may. 

I have found that my choices are more complicated than they might seem.  They are not choices that I make once and stick to. They are a choices that I make several times a day, 365 days a year,  with varying degrees of assurance and commitment, and struggle with.  To be a better person is open to interpretation.  To make choices more commensurate with human progress, isn’t as simple as it might seem.  There are as many different definitions of human progress as there are people.

I find that taking stock in the past year is as valuable as making resolutions about the next one.  If 2014 could have a theme, in my life at least, it would be letting go.  As a teacher,  I am learning to let go of circumstances that I cannot control.  As a writer, I am learning to let go of procrastination.  As a person, I am learning to let go of situations and relationships that do not support my overall wellbeing. 

These are not done deals by any means, they are works in progress.  In 2015, I hope to continue to learn and grow.  I hope that I can accept the lessons that life has to offer, without holding on to bitterness and resentment.  I struggle with loss as much as anyone.  My wish for 2015 is to hold on to my center, to hold on to hope and to keep believing in a better world.

Happy New Year to all and best wishes for 2015.