This is the time for New Year Resolutions, but somehow, the concept never appealed to me. If you want to bring about changes in your life, why wait for a particular, rather arbitarily determined date to start? Why not today, whatever the day? And if you do not want to bring about changes, why bother to make Resolutions at all?
But this has always been a time when I like to take stock of my life. To sort through the accumulated memories of an entire year, before wrapping them up in newspaper and storing them neatly in whatever part of the brain that houses them.
And when I look back on this year, I am amazed at how much I have been through, and how far I have come. I've gone back to work full-time, and have still managed to spend enough time with my kids for them to continue to call me their best friend. I've been through a surgery that took out an entire organ, and have recovered fast enough to forget all about it. I've written a book, something I never even dreamt of attempting for the next few years. I've made time for friends, and have succeeded in putting personal committments as high as professional ones in my list of priorities. I've met some wonderful people, made a difference to a few lives.
What more could one want?
Turns out, I do want more. I want to learn Marathi this year, so I can converse with the native residents of the city I call home. I want to attempt a full marathon later this month, and prepare to aim for a sub-5 hour marathon next year. I would like to start getting better results from my camera. And I want to continue doing all that I got right in my life this year.
I want to be able to take on new challenges when they present themselves, because unless one attempts something, one cannot know if one can do it or not.
And most of all, I want to be happy and content. And I want everyone I love to be as happy and content as I am.
And that is my wish for you in 2010 and forever. That you be blessed with Contentment. Not the contentment that occasionally leads to apathy, but the contentment that drives you to push yourself further, because you know you can.
Happy 2010!
5 comments:
What a year of achievement! Here's to contentment and new goals.
I think you've done amazing things and will continue to do so. You know, while I agree in theory with the 'why wait for New Years to start?' I feel like it gives it an urgency that wouldn't exist without it... I suspect for instance, that finishing your book happened by the New Year because you wanted it to be an year's accomplishment... Just saying it's a tool... use it if it helps. Because some goals seem 'out there' if there isn't a time to them.
Best of luck for 2010--I am terribly impressed with your running and language goals.
Loved the whole muse and post, but this-
"Not the contentment that occasionally leads to apathy, but the contentment that drives you to push yourself further, because you know you can."
How true dat! All the best to you in 2010, Rayna!
Marvin D Wilson
Rayna! You've had a year and then some...
Contenment is good - being good with what is that can't be changed and willing to change what can be(if it needs to). I usually do at least two sets of goals or resolutions - now and in September - why Sept.? Because that's when school starts here and I'm hard-wired to want to start out good and strong.
I'm happy to know you Rayna! You're in my tribe and I like that. Happiest of New Years.
It is people like you who make me such a content woman. Thank you!
@ Fiona - when I dust my memories, I get rid of memories of all the time I was angry, sad, upset or frustrated, as you can see!!!
@ Tami - you do have a point there. I was aiming to finish the book by the fourth weekend of Jan (my 12th anniversary, son's 4th birthday), but that was as arbitrary a date as the 31st of December. And when I was in striking distance, I did sprint to make the new deadline! But the Resolutions the people around me are making are so weird - one person intends giving up alcohol. I am pretty sure he is going to break that one in less than three weeks!
And let's hope I achieve my language goal at least.
@ Marvin - Thank you. Two words that sound so inadequate but actually convey so much.
@ Jan - I like the idea of two sets of goals. And for me, it would work out even better than for you, because school year starts in June, which is also when I have my birthday.
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