Writing in Snow

2018 Begins

Kamál (Perfection), 3 Sharaf (Honor) 147 B.E. - Monday, January 1, 2018

A new Gregorian year has begun, and I have an urge to play a game of solitaire. This is an urge I cannot give into today, because it will interfere with the today's writing and article reading. I did a good job of ignoring the urge yesterday, and, in addition, I was able to ignore the urge to fantasize. I'm having difficulty with with today as well. I know I shouldn't attempt to break two bad habits at the same time. The thing is, the more I focus on writing the less I am tempted to play solitaire or fantasize.

Today, I read " 9 Spiritual New Year’s Resolutions"1 by David Langness, which discussed the tradition of making New Year's resolutions. I learned that this tradition goes back to the Babylonians, and that it is practiced by every religion on the planet. As I read the article, I contemplated "18 for 2018 and Hope for the New Year" , which contains my goals for the New Year. I looked at the goals, and realized that I have only one spiritual goal for the year. That goal is to say 'Abdu'l-Baha's prayer for America everyday. The goals David Langness listed are all spiritual. I think I need to refocus on spiritual goals, which is something I will have to consider as I reevaluate my resolutions. The spiritual goal I will focus on in the next two or three months my daily accounting.

"Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be called to give account for thy deeds."

Baha’u’llah2

Footnotes
1  http://bahaiteachings.org/9-spiritual-new-years-resolutions
2  The Hidden Words, p. 11, quoted in "9 Spiritual New Year’s Resolutions" http://bahaiteachings.org/9-spiritual-new-years-resolutions.