New Year's Wish List (01-05-09)

Usually, now is the time for New Year’s resolutions. The holidays are finished, the traveling is done, the presents are all opened, put away or returned, the food has all been eaten (except that fruitcake which will keep until next year) and life will quickly return to a normal routine. This transition from excess to temperate begs us to reflect over our lives and habits over the past year. After so many large meals, complete with pies, cookies, candy and eggnog, our shortcomings and expanding waistlines become prominent in the reflections found in both our mental and physical mirrors.

So it is natural at the start of a new year to make resolutions. We resolve to diet or exercise or pay more attention to our children, spouses or fellow time travelers. We resolve to become more active in our communities, and sometimes we resolve to do something big in the coming year. Perhaps this is the year we finally clean out the garage, or take that big trip. The first of January is a time for dreaming, a time to dull the ache of whatever about ourselves we don’t like with grand plans and a new resolve.

My New Year’s Resolution for 2009 is simple. I resolve to not make any New Year’s Resolutions. Rather, I’d like to put forward a new tradition: the New Year’s Wish List.

You might not think there is much difference between a resolution and a wish. Often, our resolutions are just wishful thinking after all. You might also think that by “wish” I am actually referring to “goals” or things I want to accomplish in 2009.

However, what I am proposing is more hopeful and inspiring. Goals and objectives, resolutions and concrete plans, these things are all fine and good. I just think that after the grandeur of the holiday, I am not ready to face such cold reality. I need something more, something that while possibly unattainable, will inspire some good feelings to get me though the cold weeks of winter. I hereby propose my 2009 New Year’s Wish List.

Wish #1: World Peace. How much grander can you get than world peace? With the conflict in Gaza, Dafur, and the daily violence that takes thousands of lives from the inner cities across our own country, I wish for peace, on a global scale, in all of its passive glory.

Wish #2: A day of good health. I considered putting “World Health” to follow “World Peace” but without any war or any illness, then I would have to wish for “World Population Control”. So I settled for a day of good health. I seem to know a lot of people in poor health, and I feel for each of them. I thank God everyday for the relative good health bestowed to myself and my family, but there is still so much suffering that I wish for at least a temporary relief for all those who languish with health challenges.

Wish #3: The prosperity of our little town. Next to my wife and kids, family and friends, I hold Hill City in the greatest esteem. Because I love living here, it hurts to see the town and the county decline. So I wish that something big will happen in 2009 that will bring jobs and prosperity and a happy future for us all.

And that’s all I can come up with. Sigh. I thought writing a wish list would be so much easier that writing resolutions. I guess it all boils down to one big wish. I wish each and every one of you a very peaceful, healthy, and prosperous 2009. I know it won’t come true for everyone, but we can still wish and do our best to make our wishes come true.