With 2015 upon us, I thought I'd look at New Year's resolutions. Apparently they are a mostly Western practice, though it can be found throughout the Eastern Hemisphere as well.
A resolution is usually the act of self-improvement or committing to doing something nice. One of the big resolutions always has to do with working out or losing weight; gym memberships likely take a leap in January I assume.
Apparently it's a practice that has grown since the ancient Babylonians who would make promises to their gods at the beginning of each new year. The Romans would make promises to Janus, the month of January is actually named after this god. During the Medieval age a “peacock vow” was sworn following Christmas recommitting to their chivalrous duties as knights.
Ultimately, whichever era of historical significance you look at the main idea was to reflect on the year past and to look at self improvement to lead a better life.
Before university I used to be an avid reader. I always had a book on the go, but attempting to keep up with readings and essays in university sent my reading for fun habit to the wayside.
Summers were always for leisurely reading, but these last couple of years with work I've somewhat avoided reading. I'd pick up a book read a couple chapters and then a month later grab it again.
I've never made a New Year's resolution before, but have decided that I would like to get back into enjoying reading. My goal actually falls under a popular resolution to improve education, which I've always loved knowledge so it makes sense for me to continue pursuing bits of information from wherever I can.
I can't remember what the exact quote was, but it actually came up in relation to volleyball, big surprise coming from me, but I was complaining a little bit about completing a ton of paper work for my level one coaching. I was finding it extremely tedious and upon discussing it with Eugene Brown, he said something along the lines of “Always be a student of the game,” and “The best things we can learn is what you can take in after you think you know it all.”
So, obviously I stopped complaining about the paperwork and began actively looking for ways it was helping me learn, even the smallest detail you can pick out of something can be immensely important.
Thus, I've resolved to read more in the New Year. I actually have books I bought seven years ago that I still haven't read, but they sit there waiting as I slowly accumulate more and more. In fact I think I have about 10 right now sitting around my house that haven't even been cracked open.
So, deciding that I should get into reading more, someone had lent me a book, “The Art of War.” I had always wanted to read it, having focused on history from China and Russia at school, but finally got a chance to.
It was extremely interesting and as I read it, I found myself actually applying it to coaching volleyball. A classical work, it applied to life, and after reading it I decided that reading in general and getting through the list of classical works I've always wanted to read should be a goal that I don't wait on meeting.
Recently I've begun the Divine Comedy by Dante. In school I remember talking a little bit about Dante's Inferno, which is just a portion of his work which actually includes the rest of the reader's journey guided by Virgil through Purgatory and Heaven as well.
Though I've only read a portion of it, I've also found it to bring good lessons and reminders about life. About being a good person not consumed by material goods or being prideful.
Now, after finishing those 10 books laying around my house, I'll be looking to enjoy “Don Quixote,” “Frankenstein,” “The Count of Monte Cristo,” “David Copperfield,” “Moby Dick,” “The Scarlet Letter,” “The Brothers Karamazov,” “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” and so many more, which have become my New Year's resolution.
