Be Better

A New Year's Eve reflection

Happy New Year’s Eve! Classes begin tomorrow, and we therefore begin SY 24-25. The University’s fiscal year actually begins July 1, so we are already into FY25, but there’s no emotion behind the year beginning July 1 for me, so I think of the school year as beginning with the first day of classes. In reality, a year (in Earth time) is one revolution around the sun, so a “year” can begin at any time, so long as we count 365 days (‘ish) till the end of the year and the beginning of the next. My life is very tied to the school year cycle, much like farmers of the past were tied to the agricultural cycle. So tonight is New Year’s Eve, and tomorrow begins the New Year. 

Given it is New Year’s Eve, it seems appropriate to think about New Year’s resolutions. New Year’s resolutions represent an inherent acknowledgement that we know we can be better than we are. 

We all have a sense of where we are relative to where we would like to be, and we all know we could be better than we are. We have the potential to Be Better.

It is our duty to our selves (our souls) - and  the mission and purpose of our lives - to fulfill that potential. 

I’m reflecting tonight about my goals for this year. They will be a bit different from recent years given that I am taking on a leadership role again. But I still have many personal and professional goals separate from my leadership role, so I am sorting those out in my head and my heart.

Consider joining me in my New Year’s reflection. For those of you following the ordinary calendar, you have a few months left until the end of this year. You still have time to be Better than you were on January 1st.