You say you want a Resolution

Every year someone asks me what’s my New Year’s Resolution (NYR) and every year I lie. So for 2017 my NYR is to stop telling people who ask, that I have one. I usually fib to end the conversation or to at least bringing it to a more rapid conclusion.

NYR’s have serious overtones for me. It means doing something, which I really don’t want to do. Something that others think will be good for me. Truth is I’m usually uncommitted because I know if I tell a little fib I’ll probably abandon the idea within weeks or not even try, without the inevitable ‘tut!’ ‘tut!’

This year I asked myself the question, “From where did this idiotic idea emanate?”. The answer was a bit more than interesting. So let me share.

The first people to make New Year’s resolutions, were the ancient Babylonians some 4,000 years ago. Being the first to hold recorded celebrations in honor of the new year, the year began not in January but in March. A 12-day religious festival known as ‘Akitu’, the Babylonians crowned a new king or reaffirmed their loyalty to the existing throne dweller. They made promises to pay their debts and return objects they borrowed, promises considered to be the beginnings of our Year’s resolutions. The deal was that if they kept to their word, the gods would look favourably on them for the coming year. If not, their destiny was less secure.

And that is that for me – no more NYR’s. If the idea’s that old, we need to get over it. I know the gods have shot through, the witchcraft died when we drowned the last broom stick rider in the 17th century, we’ll dismiss the idea of Goblins because The Hobbit’s just a book and there are no longer Boggy Men, unless you count ‘Donald the Toupee’ as an evil fairy.

To me making NYR’s is just for one’s self and you don’t need New Year to do that. You can invoke it anytime, day or night, but it’s has to mean something to you. I’m sure many good things have come about by NYR’s but for everyone that has blossomed into full flower, their’s millions which lie broken and shattered, irremovable and forgotten.

Mind you this is just my opinion. I think the whole idea is plain silly. If you’re fair dinkum about making change then just do it and enjoy the result.

Finally, there is one group of individuals who need to adopt NYR’s – Politicians. Why don’t you do us all a favour and resolve to tell us the truth, and that means not just telling us lies but leaving in the bits that don’t suit you, how about a straight answer without spinning like a Whirlpool dryer.

In fact I’ve change my mind, my NYR this year is to vote for anyone who makes a promise that they really intend to keep.

Hee! Hee! I know I’m never going to have to keep that NYR.