Make 2004 a year of respect and kindness

Simply Sleight, by Kari Sleight

As the stressful feelings of the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations are replaced with the warm memories of a Christmas day spent with family and friends, I find myself contemplating what the upcoming New Year has in store and reflecting on the events that shaped 2003.

I'm not usually a person to make New Year's resolutions; I would rather make changes throughout the year as needed. However, following are my suggestions for resolutions we should all adopt in 2004:

Resolve to keep a safe distance between you and the car in front of you. The distance should increase during times of poor road conditions, no matter what type of vehicle you drive or your perceived driving skills. When snow and ice are on the roads, four-wheel-drive vehicles require the same distance to stop as others. I doubt I'm the only person who is frustrated by tailgating drivers who continually risk my safety on the road.

Resolve to not drink and drive. Please don't wait until the New Year to put this resolution into effect. After years of steady decline in the number of alcohol related collisions and deaths, our nation is now experiencing an increase in these senseless acts of violence. Making the wrong choice to drive under the influence only one time can have an irreversible tragic impact on many lives. Should you survive the impact while taking another's life, you'll not only be sentenced in the courts of law, you'll be sentenced to a lifetime of knowing that your actions took the innocent life of another person. Because of you, someone died. Your actions also sentence a lifetime of grief and irreplaceable loss for another family.

Resolve to get involved in your community. The Mat-Su Borough is in the midst of a tremendous growth period. No matter how much we wish for things to stay the same, it just isn't possible. We can't simply bury our heads in the sand and wait for it to go away. Or worse yet, ignore the problems unless they directly affect you. It is time to plan for the future, and the best way to plan the future of any community is through public participation. Yes, we elect people to positions to lead us in the direction we would like, but that should be just the first step. Our elected officials need us to continually stay involved throughout the process.

Resolve to vote in the 2004 elections. The ever-shrinking voter turnout is alarming. Regardless of whether the decline is attributed to voter apathy or because people feel their vote doesn't really matter in the overall scheme of things, we, as a community that cares, need to find a way to reverse this trend. It should worry you that the future of our community could be shaped by a very select few. The only way to ensure this doesn't happen is to vote and engage in your community.

Resolve to volunteer. The best way to give back to your community is through volunteering. This borough has an abundance of volunteer opportunities in a variety of areas; churches, schools, government, nonprofit agencies and others are always looking for volunteers to complete projects and day-to-day tasks. Make a difference in someone's life, volunteer.

Resolve to keep learning. I'm not suggesting everyone quit their jobs and enroll full-time in school, only to resolve to learn something new: a new craft, a new computer program, gardening, toy building, etc. As George Carlin would say, "An idle mind is the devil's workshop. And the devil's name is Alzheimer's."

Resolve to make someone smile. Practice random acts of kindness. Hold the door open for the young mother whose hands are full with her children struggling to usher them safely out of the store. Compliment your food server at the restaurant on their excellent service. Thank the person who carried your groceries to your car. Opportunities are presented to us everyday to make another smile, take advantage of them.

Above all, resolve to live life to its fullest. Cherish your family, your health, your friends, and the blessings in your life. No one truly knows how much time we have to spend on this earth or how long our loved ones will be a part of our life. Enjoy yourself and those around you, everyday. Laugh often and tell your loved ones that you love them at every opportunity.

Happy New Year.

Kari Sleight is publisher of the Frontiersman.