Resolutions

For way too many years to count, I used to spend New Year's Day writing down all the resolutions that I wanted to tackle that year.  I approached the list with all serious intent only to lose the list or even change the goals only a few weeks into the year.  To start 2011, I decided to take a day off and spent the first day of this year just being comfortable with myself.  I did a mental inventory of where I began 2010 and where I was beginning 2011.  I've made some progress, so I am generally happy with what I accomplished this past year.  I decided not to make my list of concrete resolutions that would soon go to the wayside; but instead, I wanted to give myself some general guidelines to follow for this year.  I've talked before about my great grandmother's saying that God don't like ugly.  And I've always heard from my parents about always leaving things better than before you arrived.  Or that saying from a few years back, about paying it forward - or to borrow MSNBC's new tag line, "lean forward."  Those things sort of sum up what I'm thinking.  But I must admit that today I got some real inspiration reading Melonious Thunk, my friend Melony's blog,  She has some similar thoughts about having a guiding principle rather than set resolutions to follow during the year.  Her idea is to do what is "right and good" in any situation.  I think that's a great idea.  So, guess what?  That's what I'm going to strive for this year as well.