The first time I learnt what a New Year’s Resolution was, it was already a couple of weeks into the New Year and by then I had already admitted to all who asked that I did not have one. When I was made to realize  my so-called gaffe as if I had breached a law mandated by those crazy teen years, the earth under my feet shook but refused to swallow me.

Henceforth every December, I worked hard to make resolutions just so I have them at the ready when someone asks on the first day of the New Year. To my deep chagrin, I learnt that resolutions are easier to make than to follow. Among my top ones were: not getting a frequent hair cut and letting my hair grow long; keeping the A’s; learning to not feel bad when not invited to some of the cool birthday parties; and coming up with fitting rebuttals as soon as someone said something and not in the deep echelons of my comforter when mom thought I sleep talked. Of course I made more than one resolution every year for different audiences and some only for myself. Those were innocent vows, easy to keep up with and equally easy to drop.

As I grew up, I realized there was nothing wrong with not having a resolution ready, nothing wrong with having a private one and nothing wrong with not having one at all. Some years I still don’t have an answer to The Great Resolution Question but now I am not embarrassed just because so many others have one.

Now I make goals that I can achieve in a few hours or a few weeks and bit by bit, I aim to grow, to reach and to learn what I haven’t up till now. I would be proud of myself if I can start each day with peace in my heart.

Happy New Year to all of you!