It’s that time of year for listing achievements and outlining soon-to-be-forgotten New Year’s Resolutions. How many past “successes” can you remember?
Consider the fading recollection of worldly achievements – the richest, the celebrated, the laureates. Prestige dims, accolades lose luster, and as George S. Patton wrote, “All glory is fleeting.” The headlines of yesterday dissolve into the background noise of memory. Year-end tributes to the fallen remind us how the celebrated stars of today are quickly replaced by equally ephemeral personalities; shiny new things briefly holding our attention on a fickle world stage.
Honest self-reflection reveals how true significance resides elsewhere; in the dedication of the educators who shaped our minds, in the hearts of friends who stood by us in adversity, individuals who imparted valuable lessons, and those who made us feel truly valued.
Perhaps success is not defined in accolades but among the connections and kindness populating the meaningful moments in our life story.
If resolutions are your thing, build them around legacies that whisper across the generations, long after names and faces are forgotten. Center your goals on self-discovery, serving others, searching for common ground and the continual pursuit of peace and prosperity for all.
We may be microscopic raindrops in the unending procession of time. But raindrops can congeal form powerful rivers that can cut deep canyons out of the most resistant rocks. Intention and action determine where raindrops will fall. Guide yours in a meaningful direction.
