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Making A “New Year’s Resolution” Every Day

[additional-authors]
January 2, 2015

By Rabbi Mark Borovitz 

Today is January 2 and many of us are going back to work after a day off. There are so many New Year’s Eve and New Year’s day celebrations, and we are all filled with hope and have make resolutions, etc. Why??

What are we really marking by celebrating? Is January 1st any different than Dec.31? As a leader of a Not-For-Profit organization, I participate in the frenzy to get donors in at the last minute (for their tax purpose) and yet, there is really no difference if the money comes in on December 31 or January 2. There is no difference in the resolutions/commitments I make on Dec.31 or Feb 2. Yet, it seems like a “big deal” to make these commitments on December 31.

I believe we have, again, given in to the hype of the media and advertising, etc. We have given in to the “lies we tell ourselves.” Our situations are no different today than they were 3 days ago, unless we have changed them. Our commitments are no stronger or better today than they were 2 days ago. What is the deal?

HOPE—this is the difference, we think. It is a new year so the possibilities are new and we are hopeful. I believe it is a false hope, however. No day/moment is “hopeful” just because it is a “special” day. Every day has hope infused in it, if we take advantage of the day. Every moment is pregnant with hope if we decide to change and do something.

My problem with the hype is that it is just that. We are going to “lose the weight this year,” “get the job/career we have been waiting for,” on New Year’s day. Too many of us make the commitment and then do nothing but wait for it to happen and/or start to make the changes and quit. I am guilty of this myself.

I got sober on December 17, 1988. I have maintained that commitment and there are others that I haven’t. It is not a “day” that makes the difference, it is me. Change and Hope can only take hold if and when I/you decide that the commitment to the Change we want to make is a higher YES than the status quo that we have accepted. Herein lies the rub. My wife, Harriet Rossetto, says that the reason these “days” can be powerful is because of the communal power we imbue these “special days” with. I understand this thinking, yet, there can be no change without T’Shuvah,I believe. Unless we take a real inventory of our assets and liabilities, discuss with another/others, repair the damage our liabilities have wrought, change the patterns that lead to this damage and enhance our assets and the actions that make these assets more prevalent in our daily living, nothing changes and hope is still just potential. We can make hope a reality and change a constant in our living, if we are willing to do the work. This is why I am Addicted to Redemption.

I have seen the miracles and the actualization of our hopes because of T’Shuvah/Redemption. I am defining Redemption as “acting like a kinsman toward others and self.” When I treat myself as a loving family member does/would, then I am kind, in Truth and helpful. When I treat others as a family member, I am interested in helping them Live Well. Being Addicted to Redemption infuses each day/moment with hope, commitment and obligation. I believe that the changes necessary to make our world better are not only possible—they are mandatory. It is my/our obligation to do this. We do this through hope and knowledge. Knowledge that we can/must Redeem ourselves and others. Hope that each moment is an opportunity to actualize our commitment to change.

Please join me in being Addicted to Redemption. Please join me in making all of our days, Days of Redemption/acting like a kinsman to ourselves and others.

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