Happy New Year

In going through the personal items left by my father, I came upon three brief essays that he wrote while he was in high school. I don't know if they were for a class project or if they were editorials written for the school newspaper. He was the editor of the paper, so it may be that these were written to be shared with the student body at Sunbury High. One of these was on leadership, one about Christmas, and the third about New Year's Day. So let me kick off 2010 by sharing with you the one on New Year's Day that was probably written late in 1935. The title was "Things We Can Do Without". New Year's Day is always thought of as a day of new and mighty resolution. One should not only make a fresh start at the beginning of the year but every day should bring new determination and resolution to do our best. Business houses everywhere check up on the quantity and quality of their stock as well as the condition of the plant. The stock is cleaned out and reorganized. Shopworn and obsolete articles are gotten rid of and inventory is taken. A balance sheet is another business form connected with the new year. These business methods can be applied to our own lives. If one did not check up and "sweep out" old ideas and sort the good from the bad, his life and mind would become so cluttered up as to become useless. Check over your own assets and liabilities. Balance this account and see where you stand. Do away with as many liabilities as possible and acquire some new assets. The question, what should I keep, may present itself. Here are a few things which ought to be kept - your temper, your sunny disposition, judgement of others, secrets, and your word of honor. Some things to get rid of are grudges, borrowed books, bad habits, ugly dogs, and debts. It is one thing to make a resolution and another thing to keep it. A certain young man was heard to say, "If I break a resolution I can make more." Don't be as foolish as this young man was. When we make good resolutions, we should keep them. (Horace Kauffman) After your parents pass away there are always so many questions that you'd like to ask them. After reading this essay, I'd love to ask dad what it was written for and also what brought about the comment of getting rid of ugly dogs. Although I do agree, after all, who wants an ugly dog. Have a great 2010.