The oldest calendar was a mesolithic arrangement of 12 pits and an
arc found in Aberdeanshire, Scotland. It was dated roughly 8000 BC and
was a lunar calendar. The twelve months related to the lunar cycles.
The first recorded celebrations of the New Year was 4000 years ago in
Babylonia. The new year began with the new moon after the Spring
equinox in mid March. Making resolutions also began then, but were called
new year pledges. These were made to the current king and the people
pledged to pay their debts and return any borrowed items. These
celebrations lasted twelve days.
In 45 BC Julius Caesar allotted January 1st as the first day of the new
year and began the Julian Calendar. It was a solar calendar and based on
three years of 365 days with an extra day in the fourth year.
In 1582 Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar in an
attempt to address the problems with the Julian calendar. It too had three
years of 365 days with an extra day in the fourth year except when a year is
divisible by 100 and not divisible by 400. It is the most commonly used
calendar around the world today.
Making pledges 4000 years ago morphed into todays resolutions.
Today making resolutions is a start of new beginnings and aspiring to new
goals. Unfortunately most aren’t met due to unrealistic expectations. Top
resolutions include quit smoking, lose weight, stop drinking. By two to
three months 90% of resolutions are given up. Maybe we aim too high. We
think resolutions should be a big and sweeping change. Psychologists say
we should resolve something that is attainable and that we really have a
desire to attain.
Instead of resolving something we are sure to fail at, maybe we should
resolve to TRY to become a better person, less judgmental and more
accepting of others differences.. Be gentle with others, they are struggling
with this lifetime as much as we all are. We all have different views of
things but that doesn’t mean everyone else is wrong. We all make mistakes
and fail at times. Resolving to TRY is the best resolution we can make.
SOOO. if you are eating plenty of chocolate, avoiding the bathroom
scale, and taking plenty of naps you will be in a better position to be kinder
and more tolerant of others.
I wish you peace and happiness that you can share with others. Happy
New Year.
Ruby Bonham
As usual, Ruby, you’ve hit the nail right on the head. Good information and great advice. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and wisdom.
Thank you, Ruby! Just what I need to help me “try ” to improve myself this year. Sage advice.
Just start each day with the mindset of I’ll do better. Doesn’t matter if that’s financial, diet, behavior… whatever. Just better today than yesterday. Small steps will move you a mile. Doesn’t matter when you get there, you will. But most of all, be kind to yourself. You’re worth it, you have value.
Thank you, Ruby, for the nice history lesson and the excellent advice for resolutions. Donna’s addition of just trying the best we can every day is appreciated.
Thank you, Ruby. This really fits the current times. Striving to be a “better person…, less judgemental…, more accepting…,” would definitely make this a kinder world. I will do my best to follow your lead. Keep writing, Ruby. I enjoy reading your pieces.