Jan 1st 2009, 00:00

   It’s a new (secular) year, and that means it’s time for [groan] “New Year’s Resolutions.” There are religious parallels to this secular tradition. For example, in Judaism's holiest holiday, Yom Kippur, one is to reflect upon one's wrongdoings over the year and both seek and offer forgiveness. The concept is to reflect upon self-improvement annually.

    I took a look on the internet (my other Bible), and found one study that listed the most popular goals (let’s see how I’m doing):
1.    Lose weight (I’ve lost 22 lbs. since July – another 30 to go)
2.    Pay off debt/s (I can’t resist a good sale … but I’m trying)
3.    Save money (thank God for automatic debit)
4.    Get a better job (impossible – TBT is my life!)
5.    Get fit (I get an “F” in this category)
6.    Eat right (see #1)
7.    Get a better education (I’m always up for learning more)
8.    Drink less alcohol (smaller than those little kiddush cups??)
9.    Quit smoking (one vice I don’t have to worry about)
10.    Reduce stress overall (my blood pressure is fine)
11.    Reduce stress at work (as long as I stay organized, I can juggle my various hats and stay happy)
12.    Take a trip (taking my kids on vacation this summer ;going to San Antonio for my annual conference in August)
13.    Volunteer to help others (something I love to do anyway)
14.    LOVE MY MAN (uh, this might be a problem given my current status!)
15.    Don't drink any soda pop for the whole year (how did THIS one get to be so important??)

   Actually, I don’t make secular New Year’s resolutions. I try to make the most of each day, and my favorite thing to do at night before falling asleep is to reflect on the day and ask myself what I did to make the world a better place. I know it sounds corny, but I get a good feeling from it. I’ve taken this concept to our junior congregation on Shabbat morning, and have asked our students to reflect on the week that has just passed. It’s amazing to hear their answers, whether the week brought lots of positives, or whether there were things that could have been better. There are times when we are so busy that we don’t have time to breathe and take an audit of our lives. I certainly don’t want to wait until someone else does it for me as part of a eulogy, so I do it for myself, and I encourage our children to do likewise.

   So, as we begin 2009, I want to wish you a year of great successes, reaching goals that you set for yourself day by day. And I hope that your life will bring you and your child(ren) close as we all work together for the betterment of our world.