Tag: Trees

Resolution–The First Day of the Rest of Your Life

What do we mean by a resolution? It can mean any of several things. But in this context, we analyse a bad habit and determine to change, in the future.

Sunrise

Many people decide to make New Year’s Resolutions on 1st January, every year. Sadly, for most people, their resolve does not last as long as it took to make the resolution.

Yet, what do we mean by a resolution? It can mean any of several things. But in this context, we analyse a bad habit and determine to change, in the future.

I did see a humorous take on this, recently. I don’t have the reference, at the moment. If I find it I will share it. It went along the lines of: “My wife told me that this year I should make a resolution that I can achieve. So I resolve to be the fattest, laziest couch potato that I can be.” Sadly, this is the reality for too many people.

Why Resolve Now?

People see a new year as a new beginning. Yet, is it, really? Who decided that January 1st is the first day of the new year? The Chinese new year doesn’t start on January 1st. The Indian sub-continent celebrates the new year at various dates, depending on where you live and which religion you follow, but is generally March 31st for many. For Muslims, the new year starts in October or November.

If you are in business, you may have a number of new year dates. For personal tax purposes, the new year starts on 6th April, every year. For certain aspects of limited company tax matters, it is April 1st. For your business, it could be any time. I have known clients who start their financial year on 1st April, 6th April, 1st January, the first of any month that suits them, and one client whose financial year started on 2nd October. Why? Because that was the date he started his business, all those years ago, and he was sentimental about it.

A Symbolic New Start

The point is that what we are looking at is merely a symbolic day. Let’s be honest, changing habits takes longer than the time it takes to sleep from one day to the next. So what we are really saying is that this is going to be the first day of our new lives.

However, why wait until January 1st? We can start a new life at any time. I’m sure you have heard the old adage that “this is the first day of the rest of your life.” That is true, every day. Every morning that we awaken, life starts over. We may have to deal with the legacy of yesterday’s events. But we don’t have to repeat them.

So make this your determination: That each day, from now on, as soon as you identify something in your life that you want to change, you will not wait until January 1st to change it. You will start immediately.

After all, if your roof started leaking on January 2nd, would you wait another 364 days before fixing it? If your business was struggling for sales, mid-year, would you another six months before acting? It’s the same with personal habits. Why wait until next year before changing?

Do it now, whenever now happens to be. Otherwise, it may never happen.

One Hundred Thousand Welcomes

Irish Lake

Memories,
Floating, drifting,
Pouring through meditation,
Clamouring for acknowledgment,
Savouring this opportunity
To impose themselves on mindful thoughts.

Remembering the lake;
A vast expanse
Of clear, blue water
Reflecting a cloudless sky
Now sepia-toned
With ages past.

Remembering the trees;
Clinging to life
In barren, rocky land
Where legends grew
And mysteries spawned
To prey upon unwary minds.

Remembering walking
Over moor and hill
Past crofts and villages
Shrouded in mists
That hid their beauty
Behind its translucency.

This time
When we were young
And unaffected
By life’s pains and troubles;
When all roads
Rose to meet us.

This land,
Mysterious, yet familiar,
That taught us patience,
Peace, and solitude’s pleasures;
And showed us how
To live.

What difference is there
‘Tween youth and age?
Only time. Yes, time;
And memories of life
That now impose themselves
On mindful meditation.

Memories
That come flooding back
Despite our best endeavours
In trying to clear
Our cluttered minds
Of pain.

Memories
That seem so useless
When trying to forget;
And yet so precious
In guiding lives that have lost their way;
If only we would listen.

Caed mile failte;
The ancient blessings cry.
One hundred thousand welcomes
To all the weary travellers
Who search so far
Along the road within.

Silent Sentinels

Lone Tree, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire

Standing proudly,
Watching o’er the weathered landscape,
Silent sentinel
Waving in the breeze,
Monitoring shifting winds;
Observing ragged mountain tops.

Calm descends,
Like gentle waters softly flowing
Over polished rocks
In upland streams,
Washing cares and worries
Down cascading waterfalls.

Clouds come, clouds go;
Blue skies, white skies, some of reddish hue;
Changing by the moment;
Suspended oceans float on by,
Altering landscapes
With subtle, moody shadows.

Coruscating light
Paints sparkling veils
On moorland landscapes;
Gently folding thoughts and feelings
Into origami animals
To be tamed and nurtured.

Gorse bushes
With their thousand yellow eyes
Twinkling in the darkness,
Warning frightened children
To stay away from heath and heather
While clinging to Daddy’s hand.

Silent sentinels, all;
Guiding ways to safe environs;
Leading gently homeward;
Watching o’er the land;
Protecting weary souls
From themselves.

And here we are,
Silent sentinels
Holding on to love’s bright flame;
Which guides our way through cares and darkness;
Shields our love from harm and worry;
Standing brave, despite our fears.

Troubles come, troubles go;
Blue skies, white skies, some of reddish hue;
Changing by the moment;
Suspended worries float on by,
Altering our landscapes
With subtle, moody terrors.

Silent sentinels
Protecting names and faces
Of family and friends;
Though wrong motives be imputed
By those who do not know,
Or do not really care.

Silent sentinels
Accepting life as is,
With all its ups and downs;
Maintaining dignity, keeping integrity;
Despite the winds of change
Passing swiftly through our lives.

Yes, here we stand;
No wrangling; no complaining;
No seeking of sympathy
From those who do not really care;
Silent sentinels,
Bonded by love.

This is a tribute to all those couples who maintain their dignity and integrity in the face of sometimes cruel slander; who protect their family’s and friends’ reputations, despite the cost to themselves. Faced with what many would view as impossible positions, they find, buy, or even create seemingly impossible solutions. And still, through all of this, they know that someone, somewhere, is casting doubt on their integrity, trying to rob them of their dignity; qualities that allow them to face the realities of life with quiet fortitude and magnanimity.

They deserve our support.