For some time now, I’ve believed that the real purpose of New Year’s resolutions is to create business for the mental health field. If we examine the process of the holiday season we are presented with a mixed message of excesses followed by 2 periods of self denial. Consider this:
We have a period of gluttony starting with the Halloween sugar binge, followed by the over-eating contest of Thanksgiving, the shopping mania of Christmas and ending with a drunken party on New Year’s. At the end of all this we ask people to turn over a new leaf and make a commitment to change. To resolve to be a better person. To not do all those things they’ve been encouraged to pursue.
If the New Year’s resolutions don’t do the trick we then move into Lent. For Christians this is a period of “prayer, penance, repentance, almsgiving, and self-denial” to prepare us for Holy Week. Of course, Lent is proceeded by Mardi Gras which is essentially a short period of overindulgence to prepare us to get spiritually fit.
This New Year’s I wish you and yours the very best. May your resolutions be small and simple. May your Lenten commitments be only a challenge you set for yourself for growth and a greater awareness. And may any slips that you have in your new behaviors be seen simply as a reminder of the humanity we all share.
John
We have a period of gluttony starting with the Halloween sugar binge, followed by the over-eating contest of Thanksgiving, the shopping mania of Christmas and ending with a drunken party on New Year’s. At the end of all this we ask people to turn over a new leaf and make a commitment to change. To resolve to be a better person. To not do all those things they’ve been encouraged to pursue.
If the New Year’s resolutions don’t do the trick we then move into Lent. For Christians this is a period of “prayer, penance, repentance, almsgiving, and self-denial” to prepare us for Holy Week. Of course, Lent is proceeded by Mardi Gras which is essentially a short period of overindulgence to prepare us to get spiritually fit.
This New Year’s I wish you and yours the very best. May your resolutions be small and simple. May your Lenten commitments be only a challenge you set for yourself for growth and a greater awareness. And may any slips that you have in your new behaviors be seen simply as a reminder of the humanity we all share.
John
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