Resolving to be resolute
by Julie Carter
What do you know about the New Year’s celebration except
that it is when you make resolutions you won’t keep?
Jan. 1 wasn’t always the day celebrated for New Years although
the celebration is one of the oldest of holidays.
It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. Around 2000 BC,
Babylonians celebrated the beginning of a new year on what is now Mar. 23. It
made more sense in that it was the time of year that spring began and new crops
were planted. Jan. 1, on the other hand, has no astronomical or agricultural
significance.
The Roman senate, in 153 BC, declared Jan. 1 to be the
beginning of the New Year and Julius Caesar did the same in 46 BC for the
Julian calendar.
George Washington began the custom of holding a party on New
Year's Day where everyone was welcome. This became known as having an
"open house" and is still done in many places today.
Regional foods help welcome the New Year in various parts of
America.
In Pennsylvania Dutch country, eating sauerkraut on New Year's Day is said to
bring good luck. In the South the custom is to eat black-eyed peas. More often
now, people use Tylenol to cure their celebration pain.
Making resolutions on this first day of the New Year also
dates back to the early Babylonians. While popular modern resolutions might
include the promise to lose weight or quit smoking, the Babylonian's most
popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment.
At the ranch, resolutions might include a solemn promise to
never eat Brussels sprouts, tofu, skinless chicken breasts, spinach anything or
fermented cabbage.
On the upside, a rural ranch dweller might dream of swearing
off ice breaking, manure shoveling or any horse called Bronc. High on that
dream list would be shorter days for wind milling and pipelining and sleeping
longer nights. Next would be no dead cow skinning or pitchfork using and no
work that requires a shovel or a mechanics tool box.
Of course all those dream resolutions come because the
thought is-- if you are going to make yourself promises you can’t keep, may as
well make big ones.
I would like to resolve to be more disciplined with my work,
smile more often when I’d really rather not, and first look to find praise for
someone or something before I find criticism.
I would like to act better today than I thought possible yesterday and
set a higher standard for tomorrow.
I resolve to not mention the words exercise, diet, or
facelift in the same sentence with my name. Health and beauty should be a
natural daily process, not a resolution.
I will continue to remind myself that Jan. 1 is simply the
day after Dec. 31 and the day before Jan. 2. Nothing more.
I will strive to remember that everyday is a gift, tomorrow is never promised
to us, and that the people in my life are precious. If they aren’t, then I need
to look again.
I live an abundant blessed life and want to never fail to
recognize that. But most of all I want
to resolve to be resolute -- firm in purpose, belief and unshakeable
determination.
May the year bring to you all of what you need and even some
of what you want.
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