BRITTLE THINGS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 82, 31 December 1940, Page 6

BRITTLE THINGS

New Year Resolutions A VERY CANDID CONFESSION (By Hemire.) There is a clause, mentioned in some Acts, or Gazette notices or Orders-in-Council. or other light, reading, Unit runs: “it in that behalf enabling. I am nut sure what it means, but it has a line roll, and I have always liked it. And. if I could find some way to apply it. to what an old friend of mine calls “these ’ere N'oo Yere reserlootious I would. By the way, who started this New Year resolution business? He has caused many of us a lot of bother. When, ou December 31, I look back over the years I see a mighty Hue of shattered resolutions lying along the path. They were made but not kept. Some of them were strange. I recall one—that during the vear ahead I would eat more slowly, it grew out of a hint received from a medical friend. But it went by the board on New Year’s Day. when I had to choose between going without a mid-day meal, or keeping an impatient party wailing. I had what is called a hasty, snack. Then there was that mightv resolve not to smoke before midday, and not to drink between meals. Whatever induced me to do that? Anyway, it simply crashed —about January 2 if I remember aright. But I am not alone in this ghastly line of failures. Most people have them, but keep on adding to the list. Some of us are what you might call “egged ou.” When the mail comes in todaybeing December 31 —I shall receive a letter from two maiden aunts, and in it will be suggestions for New Year resolutions all designed to ennoble my character, make me the sort of man worthy to lie a son of their sister. If I could make them, and stick to them, they would undoubtedly make me moderator of the General Assembly in the near future. You see this Dominion, productive as it is, has not yet produced an over-supply of saints. Judging by my record I am not at all likely to complicate the position. Then later in the day, to wit, about 11.30 p.m.. there will be another little difficulty. The lady, to whom I find it somewhat difficult to deny anything, will begin something like this: “Now, dear boy. in 1941. I want you to promise me that- ” This, as most men know, is a dangerous moment. The best thing is to spar for time. If one cun maintain the counter-offensive till the witching hour lias struck then, of course, it is too late to make resolutions. At least, that is my firm belief. I am adamant on that point. But this year, thanks to the sagacity of a Scottish friend, I face December 31 with greater confidence than usual. That sounds rather like an extract from a semi-political speech I heard over the radio the other night, but I cannot help it. The solution of these difficulties lies in concentration. Don’t spread your resolutions over too wide a field of effort. Make one good resolution, and let it go at that. I intend to do so. 1 am determined, on this great day to resolve —it in that bphalf enabling—not to make any New Year resolutions of any kind, character, sort, class or persuasion. And I feel that this time I shall succeed in notching my first success in this business.