Every year at this time we make resolutions. After the holidays some want to diet so they will look great for the coming summer. Others want to work on their career goals. The common thread in most of our resolutions is that they are centered on self. For the most part there is not a thing wrong with that. More people should put forth effort on self betterment, and we should encourage each other to stick to our resolutions. The only addition we should make to our resolutions is to help others too.
At some point on New Years Day I read an article by the Archbishop of Cantebury, Dr. Rowan Williams. He reflected on the riots that took place in London in the prior year. The riots left quite a negative perception of young people.
Quite a lot of the images we’re likely to remember from the footage of the riots in the summer will be of young people out of control in the streets, walking off with looted property from shops, noisily confronting police and so on. It all feeds into the national habit of being suspicious and hostile when we see groups of youngsters on street corners or outside shops and bus shelters. We walk a bit more quickly and hope we can pass without some sort of confrontation.
He continues his speech by stating that young people were equally horrified by the riots, and we should work in the new year in efforts that bring out the best in our young people. The Archbishop recognized the potential that was being lost by not engaging those youth. A societal response of fear benefits no one.
I wonder how often do we avoid larger problems when we stumble upon them. How often do we cross to the other side of the street when we see that group of youth, or that overburdened single parent or those homeless men? We tell ourselves we’ll volunteer at the shelter or the youth mission, but we never do. It is hard to be engaged. It is painful to commit yourself to a long term struggle to make things right. Maybe if we all make the resolution to be a little more engaged, there would be fewer times where society breaks down and shames us all.
What are your resolutions this year?