New Year’s Resolutions from the Lockdown Zone

Hmmm, what has 2020
taught us that we can use to shape our resolutions for 2021?

It feels strange to make
New Year’s resolutions after a year when everything was turned upside down and
we had so little control over our lives. We spent much of the year playing
defence and looking over our shoulder for an unseen foe. In terms of public
opinion, it was a polarizing year when pro
and con were more diametrically
opposed than ever.

All of that is bleeding
into 2021 which made its debut in the midst of a lockdown here. We rang in the
New Year not with glasses raised in unison, but without fanfare in our bubbles.
Many were not in the mood or even able to celebrate after being beaten down by
circumstances. Putting 2020 in our rear view mirror is not merely a matter of
turning the calendar.

So what resolutions can
we realistically make for the year ahead? A good place to start is to be more
grateful for the things we too often take for granted.

At the risk of stating
the incredibly obvious, resolving to be thankful for good health is at the top
of the list for those of us fortunate enough to have sidestepped COVID-19. Everything
else takes a back seat when our health is comprised.

We can also resolve to
be more grateful for the dedication of our front line workers – police,
firefighters, EMS, nurses and doctors. They did not have the option to work at
home or social distance. Front line
took on a whole new meaning as they willingly put themselves in harm’s way on a
daily basis to protect us.

On a more personal
level, we should reflect on how we can live more intentionally. Happiness and
success are rarely achieved by playing the waiting game.

We can resolve to live
more courageously. I do not mean acting recklessly or without regard for
others. I do mean taking responsibility for our life and choosing the course
that fulfills our destiny even if that means going against the flow. The road
less chosen has many more bumps but also many more rewards.

On a related note, we
can resolve to think for ourselves and not take everything we hear at face
value. In this age of digital communications and ubiquitous social media,
information is cheap and easily taken hostage. Asking questions and going
deeper is not just a good idea. It is a responsibility we all share.

And finally, we can take
to heart the big lesson of 2020: life is unpredictable with no free passes. We
can resolve to make the most of the time we are given and give the most when it
matters the most. Every day matters when tomorrow is not guaranteed.

It has been said that
courage is water flowing over a rock slowly but surely cutting a valley through
it. I see that as a good way to look at 2020 and a good philosophy for the year
ahead.

~  Now Available Online
from Amazon, Chapters Indigo or Barnes & Noble: Hunting Muskie, Rites of
Passage – Stories by Michael Robert Dyet

~ Michael Robert Dyet is also
the author of Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel which
was a double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s
website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com .

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