Recycled Resolutions

Why waste time thinking up New Year’s resolutions when I have perfectly good unfulfilled goals left over from previous years? I can recycle the “lose weight” pledge; the same ten pounds are still riding around on my hips. And I have unpublished manuscripts stashed in files that would love to find an audience. They’re getting as dated as the calendars.

The only thing that’s really changed is my attitude and approach to the year opening before me. I’ve broadened my scope (along with other things. Darn gravity, anyway.) When I look at my overall health, I can only be grateful. No chronic whines of any sort. This, after yesterday of hard skiing and today a nice hike on show shoes in the high country. Instead of worrying about the extra pounds, I’ve decided to focus on improving two more insidious indicators: cholesterol and bone density.

Writing might not be my passion, but it is my pleasure. I’ve lowered my expectations. It makes for fewer disappointments and allows me the freedom to choose where I want to expend my energy. If full-length novel fiction isn’t in the future, that’s okay with me. I have a couple of travel projects I’d like to complete. Short fiction and creative essays are fun and don’t weigh on my mind like a sword of Damocles. I’m interested in giving our kids and theirs a bit of family history. And I’m not one to cut and paste scrapbooks.

That leaves writing. 

So I’ve tailored my list to match my limited goals. If I don’t make it to 2010, please don’t write on my epitaph, “She didn’t live up to expectations.”