Really?! People Still Make Resolutions??!

What2Say2Day? In these days filled with empty promises by those in whom we should trust the most it's difficult to imagine people still make New Years Resolutions. Of course I can speak from almost 50 years of experience (almost) and say that I don't know anyone, not a single person, who has stuck to their resolution. For those of you out there who have, I apologize for my cynicism. I, too, have pledged to lose weight or start exercising only to be thwarted in my plan by the second week by a good steak or the need to watch football.

I think we know what's good for us, or what things we need to do to live better lives; eat right, exercise, live compassionately for others, etc. What confuses me is how someone who has not been doing these things for a long time suddenly believes they'll change. For those of us who believe they can, well, I don't know what to say. For those who want to change but don't know how to go about it let me offer you a story from The Old Testament.

Genesis 32:9-19 talks of a little banter between Moses and God. In this part of the story God has decided that enough is enough with the insolence of the Hebrew people and decides to unleash a wrath so hot that it'll burn hot against them and consume them (yeah, God was upset). In a final attempt to calm the situation Moses reminds God of the promise made to Abraham and Isaac and the other forefathers of the Hebrews.

Verse 14 then says, "And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people." The Hebrew people are spared a terrible fate (again) and God shows us that it's okay to change our minds. 

So, to all of you who make those resolutions in a few days, I wish you the best in your endeavors. And in a few weeks when you feel like you just can't do it, that's okay too. Change takes time, change takes commitment, change takes the involvement of as many people around you as you can possibly involve. Change happens all the time. In fact, without change we wouldn't be the people we are today, would we?

This will most likely be my last post until the New Year so Happy New Year to you all. Be safe, be smart, remember you are loved just the way you are, even when you change.