New Years Resolutions.

I don't make them any more. This came about due to an oddity of 1970's Catholic schooling in Ontario.

Back then, some low watt bulb (no offence intended, Dim Bulb) thought it would be a good idea to have the children from grades four and up make resolutions every year. We would write them down on on a piece of paper, which the teacher would collect. The teacher would hold onto them, and then hand them out to us every now and then during a "quiet time", during which we would re read our resolutions, and pause and reflect whether or not we were living up to resolutions. Well, my early resolutions, like "I won't fight with my sister this year" were done before the ink dried, and I didn't want to be reminded that I was dumb enough to think that she and I (or my other sister or my brother) would no longer fight just because I thought so. So, around grade five, I had a brainwave. When the teacher handed out the paper I quickly scrawled "I resolve never to make another new year's resolution", folded it, and handed the sheet back. Afterwards, whenever the quiet, reflecting time came up, I would proudly examine my resolution, The teacher would come by and say to me: "And you, Bear? Are you keeping your resolution?"

"Oh yes, Miss," I could honestly say. "Yes I am."

"Well done!" she would say with a smile, and pat my shoulder.

And I've been keeping it ever since.