the obligatory new year post

sure, i write in here from time to time, but i wouldn't call my self a blogger. it's not like i'm on a deadline or anything. so why do i feel pressue to write a new years post? i guess it's just expected. but by whom? i have eight official followers. and while they are a lovely bunch (shout out, yo!), they aren't banging down the proverbial door wondering where this post has been hiding.

while i'm on the subject of my readers...i'm amazed at how many hits this blog gets. seriously. i'm just another person pondering life. nothing special here... but while i have your attention, i'd like to say a big "hello!" to my readers in canada, brazil, australia, germany, the uk, india, ireland, kenya, latvia, argentina, brunei, colombia, moldova, russia and thailand. i don't know who you are, but truly appreciate that you are joining me on this journey!

anyway, back to the topic in the title. in my first blog, on the good ol' myspace many years ago, i wrote about resolving to give up resolutions for the new year. i was certain that people never really achieved their new year's resolutions, so why bother? my goal was to simply be more me - to be authentic to who i wanted to become. (random factoid: traces of that post from seven years ago found its way into a new year blog posting i wrote for another blog this year.)

i was so tired of everyone asking me what my resolutions were that i rebelled against the entire notion. this year though...well, i can't think of a single person who has asked me about any new year's resolutions.

have we given up on them completely? have we given up on the idea that we can change?

that makes me pretty disappointed because i guess you could say i've had a change of heart over the past seven years...

now, i still don't believe in making resolutions that are downright unachievable (i.e. "i'm going to get that 0.7 gpa up to a 3.0 this semester!"), and it still frustrates me that so many resolutions have always been rooted in superficial social commentary (i.e. "i'm going to lose 50 pounds and get a boob job!"), but i have to believe that there's something powerful in making a decision to effect change within your life.

as i've often said: every moment is a choice. every day, a chance to change your life.

so maybe we don't need a new year to make that change, but it does serve as a convenient reminder that time continues to pass by and unless we jump on board and do the work to become that person we always said we'd be, then we'll be stuck in the past with only regrets to keep us company.

what's that you say? what is my new year's resolution, you ask?

i'm glad you asked. (no, really. i am.)

be it resolved, that in the year 2012 i, havaleh havelka, will embrace my life as my own, knowing that i am in control of who i become and that in every moment i have the choice to either take a step toward becoming that person, remain stagnant or, sadly, take a step back. my prayer is that i have the strength to move forward and the wisdom to hold my Maker's hand every step of the way.

so, what's your resolution?