As we enter a new year discussion has again turned to the topic of New Year’s resolutions. The concept of these resolutions has, because of frequent tradition, created the tendency to view the practice as cliché. People (myself included) make certain resolutions for a given year and despite their best efforts fail to keep them. This is repeated year after year until doubt fades about being able to accomplish such goals. This attitude then creates the belief that New Year’s resolutions are but a joke or a cliché. In all reality, they are far from it.
Resolutions, simply put, are efforts to better oneself. What those resolutions are, and how they are to be accomplished, are left solely to the individual. In fact, this notion of betterment is one of the many reasons that I love the study of religion. I have always, despite the many critiques on religion, viewed religion as a personal and social tool for the betterment of the inner-self and other members of a religious community. This does not mean that all members of a given religious community conduct their lives in a way conducive to their beliefs. In fact many do not. And if many did, what would be the point of religion itself?
In Christianity, the New Testament gives the teaching, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect,” (Matthew 5:48, KJV). Of course perfection continually looms outside the reach of all, but this doesn’t condone the practice of giving up on goals and resolutions. In fact, many have found joy in the pursuit of perfection. For instance, I am excited that this year will bring another round of the Summer Olympics. I am always entertained and fascinated by the Olympic games. The training and determination of athletes to meet personal goals and their desire to break world records is outstanding. What we witness in the Olympics is the determination of individuals to push the boundaries of what they can accomplish. Although we are not all world-class athletes, each of us can obtain the same level of joy in working towards the resolutions we set for ourselves.
If I may do so, I am calling others and myself to repentance regarding our various resolutions. To use religious terminology, “repentance” as it is translated out of the Greek denotes a change of mind or new view about God, oneself, and the world. Isn’t that what resolutions do for us? In our determination and effort to change (whatever that change may be and whatever methods we use) our views of the world change as does our inner-self. The accomplishment of our resolutions can benefit not only us individually, but also our families, friends, and others. Also, we don't need to wait until the beginning of every year to start this process. I give but one example.
Lewis Cottle 1920-2011
Recently my grandfather passed away. In thinking about his life and the example he has given me, I was reminded of a story he wrote which was subsequently published in a Latter-day Saint magazine. It demonstrates the potential that can come to individual lives when a realization of the need to change strikes the heart. Lewis Cottle while a young adult left activity in the church he grew up in. Later in his life he felt the desire to change and better himself. He reunited his life with the religion he grew up in, and eventually found within it the power to give up smoking and drinking. Soon he found his life taking a turn in a better direction. His views about himself and the world changed with it. This change he made to better himself (although not a New Year’s resolution) has helped benefit me many years later. It has reminded me of the power of resolutions and given me a renewed determination to better myself in the year 2012 and beyond.
We will never know the full extent of how the resolutions and changes we make in our individual lives will affect others. They will bring us joy, and might also bring courage and determination to others. That being said, whether you gain your strength in religion or from elsewhere, maybe we can stop thinking of resolutions as a cliché and actually start accomplishing them. The benefits are wide open.
(If you would like to read Lewis Cottle’s personal story it can be found at
http://lds.org/ensign/1974/03/mormon-journal/return-of-the-prodigal?lang=eng&query=lewis+cottle).
