|
|
 |
|
|
Home > Alternative Lifestyles > Article |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 ARTICLE |
| |
|
|
Happy New Year...Already?
In the movies of the 30s and 40s, the passage of time was conveyed by zooming in on a calendar, turning on a fan, and letting a mechanical breeze blow through the pages. And just like that, the leaves fell from the trees, the streets filled with snow, and the young hero was old and gray. However crude, this special effect nonetheless symbolized the way technology accelerates our lives. From the automobile and the airplane, to the microwave and the Internet, our lives are more efficient than ever, but the moments flash before our eyes so fast that we can barely pause to focus.
I don't even remember to turn the page on my calendar. When I do get around to it, I'm amazed to discover it's from a year long gone. We're already four years into the 21st century, and it seems like only yesterday that we were worried about the Y2K computer bug and how it threatened to send us back to the Stone Age. I almost wish it had. With each New Year, we hope to accomplish so much, but before we know it, the sands of time have turned to mud between our toes and we've done nothing.
Did you quit smoking?
Me neither.
Did you dump that two-timing boyfriend?
Good for you. Can I have his number?
The last New Year's resolution I made was to stop making New Year's resolutions. It's the only one I've been able to keep. That's not to say I don't have goals. I do, but tying them to a particular year has never worked for me. If I plan to quit smoking in 2004, I'll extinguish my last cigarette on New Year's Eve just before the clock strikes 12. But if I light up again at one a.m., I've already failed for the year, so why not wait and start anew in 2005?
I know, I know, I'm just making excuses to avoid a difficult decision, but excuses seem built in to the process. We want to slim down. We want to find love. We want to ask that cute hunk for a date, and we will, but only after we lose 10 pounds. Clever, aren't we? By imposing a condition on our actions, we avoid taking any action at all. The extra 10 pounds is an excuse to avoid the risk of being rejected by the hunk, and the fear of rejection becomes an excuse not to lose the 10 pounds. We may be avoiding risk, but we're postponing our lives.
I have to stop doing that. So do you. Maybe I'll break that resolution to not make resolutions, after all. In the New Year, I resolve to stop delaying, to live my life everyday and do so just the way I am. As Stuart Smalley used to say, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me." In 2004, let's all resolve to like ourselves better and live the lives we deserve, not later, but right now.
We can start by disregarding the messages that infiltrate our thoughts everyday. Whether it's a TV commercial or a glossy magazine ad, we're constantly being told what's attractive and what's not, what to eat, drink, think, and drive to be worthy. Listen to your inner voice, the one screaming to be heard about the noise of everyday life. Better yet, listen to your heart. It rarely lies.
And don't lie to others. You've probably heard that it takes more effort to frown than to smile. Likewise, telling the truth about your sexuality requires less energy than the attempt to hide it. You can stop looking over your shoulder wondering who suspects your secret because you no longer have a secret to conceal. You're gay! Admit it! It's a big part of who you are, so embrace it. When you meet people honestly, you'll relax, feel more confident, and approach life from a positive perspective. You're the only you in the whole world, so take pride in everything that makes you unique, including your sexuality.
In 2004, heed the advice of Ray Bradbury, the legendary master of science-fiction, who once told an interviewer to "stay in love." He wasn't talking about a romantic relationship but an overall approach to life. Love yourself, love your work, love your life. If you don't, change it.
Life is short. There's no telling when we'll walk through the door marked "Exit," but the breeze is forever blowing, turning the pages of the calendar faster than we'd like. In 2004, resolve to live every day as fully as possible.
by Brian W. Fairbanks
 Back to Alt. Lifestyles
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
SHARE YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS ARTICLE |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
