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Resolution - n. from the latin verb resolvere which means "to loosen, undo, settle." For Millennials, resolution can also indicate the number of pixels on a screen: and for Boomers a resolution can mean a formal decision taken at a meeting, often with a vote! But for the vast majority of people who use the Gregorian calendar, the 31st December is New Year's Eve and the date when we attempt to make our own resolutions to guide/change our lives in the ensuing year. I have to admit to being a total failure at making resolutions: my preference is for gradual change rather than total revolution, but that's my choice and so far it has served me well. There are a million reasons as to why we choose to make resolutions and most of them have to do with lifestyle choices:
Then there are the social ones:
Each resolution has its merits and can help launch each one of us into the New Year with renewed vigour. But if you're like me, by the time January has rapidly turned into February, those New Year's Resolutions have long fallen by the wayside. There is one Resolution which has stood the test of time though. It's an idea that has been resonating in the back of our minds ever since we first heard it as a child, and it covers nearly all those good intentions that we've ever had. This resolution was first presented to us as a Commandment, but I think that if we reflect upon it and take it seriously, then it's a resolution that will not only change our own lives, but change the lives of those around us too. Happy New Year to you all and may your God be with you. 
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 Christmas, Family, Blessings. Having been for a swim at the iconic Cottesloe Beach in Western Australia at 7.00am today and being delightfully surprised by the arrival of our youngest son with his girlfriend from Sydney, I came to realise how blessed I am. Yes, one other son plus his family couldn't make it due to his being on call for his Hospital over Christmas, but four out of five is pretty damned good!
That set me thinking about life and what a great gift it is for most people. It struck me that life is GIFT, and not a human right. None of us deserve to be on this amazing Blue Planet, but here we are. The other thing that came to me as I gazed at the beautiful ocean was that time is running out. Not only is life a gift, but it's also a finite gift - and the sands of time never cease their activity in the hourglass that is our lives. So my wish for myself and for everyone is that we value our lives and the lives of others: that we don't take life for granted, and that we all use the time remaining to us to discover and use the gifts that we have, not only for our own betterment, but also for the benefit of our families and the communities in which we live. I wish you all a wonderful and adventurous 2018. Michael is a friend of a friend and he's just won a major book prize in Canada. Michael also took time out to review a manuscript of a book I have written. Amongst the very good advice he proffered were some very kind comments about my writing. Criticism and compliments - such are the essential ingredients of a writer's diet!
I've also just returned from watching "The man who invented Christmas" which is about Charles Dickens. I took the opportunity of leaving a few 'fliers' of my book Mr Dickens at the cinema - they seemed pretty happy with the idea. I have to say that whilst the film is very, very good .... the book is even better! |
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