Pace

In the strictest definition of the word, I admit making resolutions for this new year. To have resolve and determination toward a goal is reasonable. New Year’s resolutions are so often like Lenten sacrifices, half-hearted and short lived. The resolutions are made flippantly like that impulsively purchased candy bar in the supermarket check-out. Rarely do we go into the grocery specifically for the Milky Way bar. Sure, like that Three Muskateers, I can make the obvious New Year’s resolutions: lose weight, eat better, earn more money, read the classics. These are like wishes on pennies tossed into fountains by hopeful, naive children.

What I really want for the next year is a new beginning, the preliminary steps toward a larger goal. When I went to college, I was given a list of classes I was required to take, each semester stacked upon the previous. There was momentum.

My resolution is to initiate momentum, like the slow, incremental movement of a locomotive. With commitment, each action will build upon the prior. Tenacity lends itself to the endeavor. Success is made in baby steps.

My New Years resolution is to practice patience. Be patient.

This does not mean I am still or passive. Far from it. I see my objectives clearly but it is not easy or smooth. I must work every day, remind myself of why I am doing what I am doing, refocus on the objective, never losing sight of the destination. I can enjoy the journey along the way, for in the journey I learn to relish the sacrifices and the energy poured into the mission.

I know HOW to make this all happen. I simply must pace myself and be patient. A ultramarathon is not a sprint or even a relay. I am ready to start.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *