TIME TO CHANGE THE CALENDAR AGAIN

One year ago today, I posted this description of how I would spend my New Years Day:

. . . I’ll be in the kitchen stirring the pot of black-eyed peas that comprise the heart of the traditional New Year’s Day dinner for many families in the South. While cooking, I’ll be formulating several resolutions for the coming year, intending to become a better father, a better husband, a better brother . . . a better this, and a better that. My resolutions are much like the New Year’s Day meal itself. We eat black-eyed peas because they’re supposed to bring good luck, and cabbage because it is supposed to bring wealth. It is highly debatable whether I have seen enough good luck or wealth to make even a coincidental connection to the meal, but I love tradition without regard for outcome.

That many, if not most, of my resolutions will be broken in a relatively short time does not necessarily imply a lack of dedication to being better. The simple truth is, resolutions are based on the world we faced in the last year. Each new year brings challenges that we simply cannot visualize in advance. All we can really do is hold onto core principles and make our way as best we can.

Although we have moved from our native South, my tradition shall remain the same. I’ll be stirring the peas and making resolutions. And among my resolutions this year will be to blog a little more regularly than I have done in the last few months.

Happy New Year!