Resolutions

A co-worker gave this to me, and I really enjoyed it. I hope you enjoy it, too.


Resolution for 2007: Lessen the vanity, raise the character


Columnist: Elizabeth Davies

http://www.rrstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061228/NEWS0603/112280008/...



This time, I refuse to lose five pounds for the new year.


I won’t make some doomed pact with the gym, and I won’t even bother telling myself this will be the year my IRA finally gets maxed out.


I won’t redecorate my living room, upgrade to a new car, build a bigger deck or take an over-the-top vacation.


This year, I resolve to do away with meaningless resolutions.


Rather, I will remember that worry won’t change anything but my blood pressure.


I will keep in mind that impatience is ugly, immaturity is useless and impressing others will get you nowhere.


I will spend 2007 showing compassion, not contempt. I will put my mouth to good use, trading words that bite for ones that encourage.


I will remember that a smile is only beautiful if you use it.


This will be the time when I celebrate what I do have, rather than obsessing over what I don’t.


I will recapture the joy of splashing in puddles, because no designer shoe is worth losing your childlike spirit.


I will be the woman I want my daughters to be, realizing that I can't expect them to become ladies of worth if their best role models come in the Hollywood variety.


I will value my body for the journey it carries me through. I will not be haunted by love handles, which serve to remind me of lovely, long meals with friends. I will not pout over new wrinkles, for each one was a hard-earned mile marker on my path toward wisdom.


I will not put myself down, because I am the woman my husband chose, and I never want him to feel he wound up with second best.


For 2007 and beyond, I will be tolerant of others. I will remember that their quirks make the world go ’round, too.


I will sympathize with troubles without trying to fix them. I will talk less and listen more. I will be the kind of friend I would want to have.


I will follow the lead set by my husband, who avoids the popular crowd to befriend the friendless.


I will be more like my mother, who cares more about my day than her own.


I will emulate my father, for whom no price tag is too great if it will make life easier for someone else.


I will remember that the brand name on the purse that I carry is not nearly as precious as the photos I store inside it.


I want to be known for who I am, not what I look like or how I spend my time.


That won’t happen unless my character is more important than my clothes, and my perseverance outlasts my handbag.


I want eyes that see everyone’s inner beauty, and skin that glistens with proof of my hard work. All the lotions at Lancome won’t help me do that.


In 2007, I will become the kind of person whom others describe as beautiful.


And they won’t be talking about my outside when they say it.