In living memory I can’t recall in my adult life ever making a New Year’s Resolution. Not once have I succumbed to the annual peer pressures of making the foolhardy attempt to —gulp— better myself.
Yet lo, dear reader, I have repented of my stubborn ways and have decided after 30 year’s of orbiting our fair sun that I would engage my stubborn self in a New Year’s Resolution. Unfortunately that was the easy part, deciding to actually do it, I hadn’t the foggiest idea what exactly I was resolving to accomplish.
I considered everything from the mundane (stop bitting my fingernails) to the extraordinary (running a marathon) and even in areas where I’m a little more confident like the eccentric or even the —cough— neurotic. However, I certainly wasn’t going to punish myself for a harmless habit and the idea of taking up running as a recreational activity wounds my soul, as it should, and I certainly had no idea where I was going to find a bull African elephant in this market…
It took a shock
Then something terrible happened back in my hometown that affected hundreds if not thousands of people. A good friend and cherished mentor, Frank Ori, suffered a stroke. If you don’t know Frank then your life is all the poorer for it. Frank is the type of guy who crosses a busy street just to come shake your hand and ask how you’re doing. Frank is the type of person who asks you a question and actually cares about the answer. Most important, though, is that Frank is a role model, the type of which you’d be ecstatic for your own kids to look up to as well.
I met Frank many, many years ago while participating in one of the dozens of activities sponsored by Carbon Rec and instantly, I liked him. I liked Frank as a kid, a teen and now as an adult as, I’m positive, so many others do.
A request for support
So while Frank is away, fighting to regain his health, the community has rallied behind him and his awesome family and I ache to be back in my hometown to help. So I’m writing this article asking, as a favor, if not to me then to the whole community, that you find a way to lend your support to Frank’s family.
Which brings me full circle back to my original point, my New Year’s Resolution. I’m resolving over the next year that I will be more like Frank Ori. I’m going to say yes to more volunteering opportunities, I’m going to ask people how they are doing and actually listen to their answers, I’m going to support my community in any way, shape or form I can without expecting anything in return and I’m going to be the kind of person I’d be proud for my kids to look up to. Get well soon Frank, we’re pulling for ya.
I have never made a resolution; now I have a good one
NEW NATHANIEL WOODWARD