Sat, 30 Dec 1995 08:16:44 -0500 (EST)
A New Year's Resolution

I know, I know, I know. I hate New Year's resolutions, too. I never make them. If and when I am "forced" to make one, it is not to make resolutions. But, this year I'm going to break with my tradition. This resolution has nothing about losing weight, exercising more, biting fingernails less. It's a resolution that came to mind this morning as I walked Valdosta's chilly streets and thought some more about Sarah and Jonathan, and as I read and replied to messages from such sweet and caring people--no, electronic friends--as Joann Ward of Georgia, Deb Zabloudil of Ohio, and Steve Gunter in Arkansas. Each of them reminded me that it is our mission as educators to help fellow human beings get the chance, take the chance, to engineer their dreams, as Joann phrased it, to give them a chance to confront the "What if...what if...what if... and "If only....if only....if only" in their lives. After all, isn't it the unattempted effort to dream and to make the dream real, that so often acts as a drag on people's body and spirit, and darkens their soul?

That's what an education is all about: to give a person a chance to kindle the light in their soul. As I told Joann, Deb, and Steve, somewhere awhile back, I read a proverb from some culture that said something to the effect that if you kindle or rekindle the light in a person's soul, you will help reveal that person's hidden beauty, you will help bring or restore peace and harmony in that person and thus you will help bring a bit of peace and harmony in the world.

So, in that spirit, I resolve that in the coming year to help at least one person kindle the light in his/her soul. If I can do that, it won't be a bad year's work. Won't you make that resolution with me?