2006-Things to Do

I won't kid myself or anyone else. New Year's Resolutions are like diets: began with the best intentions, followed for a short while, only to fall by the wayside as life goes on. Nevertheless, I have a few suggestions for 2006.

Let us all be a kinder, gentler people. Let us learn to turn the other cheek and to react less belligerently when inconvenienced.

Let's become more tolerant of differences between ourselves and other people. This includes respecting the rights and religions of other cultures. This includes trying to understand that God didn't make us all the same for a reason.

Let's bring back the Christian foundations of our country. It is disgraceful that we are being forced to abandon "Under God" and "Christmas tree" and the ten commandments because of a few, very vocal, individuals. That's not to say that freedom of religion isn't important. But our forefathers founded this country on Christian principals.

Let's accentuate the positive more in our journalism. Rather than going for titillating news events, let's report accurately things that are legitimately informative. This includes good things as well. Murders and accidents happen every second. Must they all be on the 11:00 news? Maybe if they didn't make headlines, some folks would be less inclined to behave so badly.

Be kind to animals. Nothing infuriates me more than to see helpless beasts mistreated. I think the perpetrators should be treated in like manner.

Let's unite and be Americans - all for one and one for all. I'd like to see politics reduced to election issues, and our elected officials spend their time making decisions that are best for our country rather than what's best for themselves.

Let's get the pork out of our bills in Congress. Line item voting is the way to go. I don't want to pay for a gilded bridge to an uninhabited island in Alaska because it was part of a bill introduced to do something necessary.

Let's educate ourselves on ways to help protect our environment. This includes limiting rampant and often ill-planned development when cities expand into the rural fringes.

Let's take responsibility for our own well-being. It is not the government's job to give us a paycheck or food or housing. These are things we must earn for ourselves.

Let's stop pointing fingers at everybody else for acts of nature or for consequences of our own poor planning.

Let's rear our own children and stop expecting the schools to do it for us.

Let's also be supportive of the educators trying to enable our children to take care of themselves when they grow up. If our children see that we parents believe education is vital, and we make it clear to them that we expect good grades and exemplary behavior, it stands to reason that we would be a more productive society. (consider this: are we losing jobs in this country because we aren't as serious about our education?)

Let's look out for each other. Let's be aware of our surroundings, our neighbors, and our family. Let's not be afraid to step up and help out if we see a need.

Let's focus on the importance of family. Everyone needs a support system. Who better than those related to you?

Let's learn to be thankful for the blessings we have: our freedom, our people, our resources, our families, our intelligence, our compassion. Then let's take what we have and try to make it better for others less fortunate.

Life Is Too Short

Life is too short to hold a grudge or feed a misunderstanding.

I think about this a lot, but I suppose Thanksiving and Christmas underscore it because these events center around fellowship with family and friends.

Why do individuals allow differences of opinion or disagreements to destroy relationships? Why do we assume that everyone has to be like us, think like us, or behave like us in order to be acceptable? Do we not realize that pride, jealousy, greed, judgment, and power are the tools of the devil?

Ours is a close family. The inlaws always got along well with the outlaws, despite different viewpoints or interests. Now the paternal cousins socialize with the maternal cousins; the potential in-laws join in with the cousins, the cousins-in-law, the step-family, etc. etc. etc. And we're so grateful, because this is what family is all about. As our tribe expands, so do our get-togethers. We refuse to let differences come between us. And we have so much fun!!!!

How is it that brothers and sisters no longer speak to each other? How can they let this happen? What possible good can come from a family torn apart? Who benefits from this?

We are human. We make mistakes; we misjudge situations. We hurt each other's feelings. We say stupid things. We forget things; we are insensitive. We neglect each other. Yeah, we do all these things just like everyone else, so let's cut each other some slack here. Let's stop behaving like children and learn to forgive and forget.

No one among us is better than another. When we get to heaven, it isn't going to matter who had the bigger house or the better car, or who got more inheritance, or who remembered to send a birthday card. It is going to matter who was kind, who reached out, or who showed compassion and forgiveness.

In a fast-growing, transient society like ours, family is very important. It gives us a safe haven, a cocoon into which we can retreat when the world gets to be too much to bear. It is unconditional love that will stay by our side through thick and thin. It is acceptance without expectations. It must be nourished for our own sakes.

I propose that, as Christmas approaches, we give ourselves an invaluable gift. If there are breaches in our family relationships, be the advocate and take the first step to fix it. Bury the negative feelings and plant the seeds of unity once again. When all else fails, it should be family who shore us up.

The same can be said for friends. Who among us doesn't need friends?

Life is too short to abandon these relationships and carry the burden of maintaining walls. It is too short to overlook staying in touch with people who matter in our lives. We can't afford not to communicate with those who share our history. Who truly wants to reach the end with regrets? Not I.