2008

This year was truly full. Big things that happened in my life: I got married, we bought a house, I went to Disney World for the first time (courtesy of my new in-laws), and I am sure there were several other things that happened in the last 364 days.

Every year everyone asks what resolutions have you made or will you make, etc. I honestly don’t make them. Yes I tell myself that I should get up and be more active, I should read all those books that I have stacked up. I should start writing on something pertaining to Art History, I should, I should, I should … But no one ever thinks or mentions what happens when you don’t fulfill those resolutions, reach those goals? Do they just go away, do they haunt you, do they become the “standard” set of resolutions for you each year … that you will possibly fail at completing that year as well?

I have this quote that I keep around that I got from a fortune cookie … (yes I know how good can it be) “You must fail or know failure, to ever succeed.”

That isn’t exact but you get the point. Am I contradicting myself? No, do I realize that even if we make the same goals each year and fail each year that maybe something during that year will change us and help us or lead us to success the next year. I guess it is all very possible.

Personally if I have no goal no resolution and I fail, the regret or the disappointment is not as great. Some would argue but if you did set the goal, make the resolution maybe you would succeed and not have to even consider failure.

Ultimately, I question myself, was this a good year? Was it successful? Yes …and no. Why no?

There can always be a no answer even if you met all your goals and resolved all the resolutions. Isn’t it possible for the success of goals to set you back yet even more? The chances, the reasoning, the worrying, the striving is it all worth it? It may not be worth it, but it surely is a part of human nature. We thrive on success, on moving forward no mater how minuscule that progression is. We must move on. We must achieve. We must resolve to be better with each stride in the path of our life, be those backward steps in our path or forward. Failure is the only way we can succeed.

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