One resolution worth keeping





As we come to the end of another year, some of us are thinking about making New Year’s resolutions. But think back: How did those vows for 2007 turn out?

Maybe a few people stopped smoking or drinking last Jan. 1; maybe several more gave up overeating and lost weight. The overwhelming majority of us had good intentions, but we kept those resolutions to give up some petty vice or unhealthy habit just about as long as it takes to fire up a barbecue.

Maybe the problem is the “giving up” part. So next year, let’s make some resolutions of a positive nature.

Instead of deciding what not to do next year, let’s just try being nice to those around us.

All year long, the Acorn community holds fundraisers for schools, churches and charities, and plans walks, runs, auctions and various contests to gather money for people in need, anonymous strangers whose faces we don’t know and wouldn’t recognize. Those efforts are vitally important, filling the shelves of food banks and providing clothing and the necessities of life to the homeless and less fortunate.

But even those who are well-off financially and can easily afford to live in this beautiful, affluent community are in need one way or another.

Some need a smile, or a friendly word. If we looked, we could see it in their eyes.

Maybe they could use a hand lifting heavy grocery bags into the car. Maybe a fragile senior hoped for help opening a heavy door, but no one stepped forward. Maybe a driver needed to change lanes to get off the 101 and another motorist, seeing his car’s blinker, resolved not to let him in.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

It seems sometimes it’s easy to be hard, like the old song says. “How can people be so heartless? How can people be so cruel? . . . ‘specially people who care about strangers, who care about evil and social injustice . . . easy to be proud, easy to say no.”

With varying terminology, at least seven of the world’s major religions espouse the simple tenet “Do unto others whatever you would have them do to you.”

The Golden Rule doesn’t seem to be observed much these days, not by individuals and certainly not by the world’s warring nations. It’s “do unto others before they do it to you.”

Wishing for “world peace” has almost become a buzzword for the impossible dream. But in 2008, let’s resolve to seek world peace on a small scale. Think globally, act locally, and resolve to do unto others with kindness.


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