Nathan Key

A new year often means New Year Resolutions so I thought I'd take a few moments to ponder this tradition and see what the word really means. Perhaps a short study of resolutions will help us realize why our yearly focus on new things often falls short.

Merriam Webster gives a number of different meanings to the word,  I'll be responding to each definition with an appropriate address.

Res·o·lu·tion
1: the act or process of resolving: as a: the act of analyzing a complex notion into simpler ones b: the act of answering : solving. c: the act of determining d: the passing of a voice part from a dissonant to a consonant tone or the progression of a chord from dissonance to consonance e: the separating of a chemical compound or mixture into its constituents f (1): the division of a prosodic element into its component parts (2): the substitution in Greek or Latin prosody of two short syllables for a long syllable g: the analysis of a vector into two or more vectors of which it is the sum

This first definition is a rather long string of words that basically states that resolution means that things work out. For a lot of us, 2008 has been a year that needs solving. There's something off about a year where the economy has gone down the crapper, a little less than half the country voted for the Other Guy, and unemployment is reaching the highest levels we've seen in decades. There is a need for a solution. We've been living in a dissonant chord progression that's left us suspended and we want a New Year, a clean slate, a fresh beginning.

You've heard talk of revolution,
But we want resolution.

Res·o·lu·tion
2: the subsidence of a pathological state (as inflammation)

This second definition basically means that the craziness settles down. Again, with the markets jumping all over the place, fear being sung on the news every evening, and ethics committees investigating businesses, politicians, and private citizens, we're all hoping that the craziness that was 2008 will subside, settle, and flatline.

You've heard talk of revolution,
But we want resolution.

Res·o·lu·tion
3 a: something that is resolved <made a resolution to mend my ways> b: firmness of resolve

Finally, here at definition three we have the foundation for what most people consider a New Year Resolution. What's stated here is resolution as a decision. It's a commitment to make things different or to stand firm in our convictions. It's a conscience choice to make life better than it was. For some, it means the gym, or a diet, or a new career.

But it's deeper than that. It's a cry of the soul that will not be held back. It's Scarlett, screaming at the camera: “With God as my witness, I shall never go hungry again."

You've heard talk of revolution,
But we want resolution.

Res·o·lu·tion
4: a formal expression of opinion, will, or intent voted by an official body or assembled group

I never really understood resolutions in this context until a few years ago when I realized it's a way for people to take a stand, especially against violence, without resorting to violence themselves.

Today, as I write this blog, we can see a perfect example of this on the news as world leaders are making resolutions against the violence that's happening between Israel and Palestine. Government Officials and National Leaders are joining together and saying- "we don't like this." It may not seem like a very effective measure at first glance, but in reality it's a way to end the perpetuation of violence.

"We have the means to stop you by force," They say, "but instead we're going to tell you to knock it off. Please respect that."

I've heard meekness described as "power under control" and so these resolutions are actually a great modern form of meekness. They represent a diplomatic rather than violence way of resolving conflict.

And in our own lives, it's possible that we, too, can begin to work toward resolutions rather than violence. Our violence isn't always graphic and bloody like the violence of war, but the internal violence of interpersonal conflicts between coworkers, families, and churches are emotionally violent at times. They're spiritually violent as well, and there's a better way to address them than to rip each other to shreds.

You've heard talk of revolution,
But we want resolution.

Res·o·lu·tion
5: the point in a literary work at which the chief dramatic complication is worked out

This year, I've had the wonderful opportunity to study story and narrative. It's been a tremendously fun time exploring what makes stories pop and what makes them memorable.

One of the chief pieces is this idea that in order for a story to be fulfilling to its audience, the ending must reconcile the conflict. Good or bad, it doesn't really matter- but there must be a definite "END" to the situation at hand. And if it's an end that points toward a human truth or primal desire- it's even better.

Pixar creates these kinds of stories (which is why their movies are always multi-million dollar hits). We like to go watch them because the thing is, most of us don't live storybook lives where things get complicated and then work out. Things may get complicated, sure, but they don't often resolve in a way that allows us to move on to the next part of the story. And so, we're always stuck in the past, unable to let go.

We want the story of our lives to match the storybook.

You've heard talk of revolution,
But we want resolution.

Res·o·lu·tion
6 a: the process or capability of making distinguishable the individual parts of an object, closely adjacent optical images, or sources of light b: a measure of the sharpness of an image or of the fineness with which a device (as a video display, printer, or scanner) can produce or record such an image usually expressed as the total number or density of pixels in the image <a resolution of 1200 dots per inch>

Oddly enough, this sixth definition of resolution is probably my favorite for the coming year. It's a word that means clarity and focus. Better resolution on a photo or a video or a computer screen means that images are sharper and better understood.

My New Year Resolution in this context could mean that I begin to see things around me with more care and precision. It means taking a closer look at the details and figuring out the depth and scope of my relationships and my surroundings.

And that's my wish for all my readers. That you will have a depth of understanding this year that surpasses anything that you've experienced before. I hope that we all enjoy a clear picture of what life is all about, who God is, and what our relationships with work, friends, and family are supposed to look like.

You've heard talk of revolution,
But we want resolution.

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