River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-12-27
HOW TO BEGIN THE NEW YEAR.
Don't Get Discouraged. But Keep on
Making Your Resolutions.

| 1t Is pretty wei KNOWN DN LIlls time
that the designation of the first day
of January as the beginning of the
new year is purely arbitrary. In
neither an astronomical or climatic
sense has any particular change taken
/ place, and, as a matter of fact, the
date, which should have been in
/ March, at the time of the veTnal equi-
nox, has been distorted to it's present
place by u series of changes extend
| ing over many centuries.
But, for practical purposes, IL mat
tiers nothing if the year began in July,
SO long as the seasons came around in
their regular sequence. The year
must begin somewhere, and the first
of January is as good as any other
day, and in all proba bility the date is
now fixed for all time to come.
IL may be remarked here, however,
that fiscal years. whether by nations
or corporations, almost invariably be-
gin on some other date than the first
OF January. Why this is so no one can
explain; perhaps it is due to the in
herent perversity of human nature.
How the beginning If the new year
became associated witt he making of
new resolutions is easily explainable.
As merchants open up a new set of
books, SO the average person, not in
business, feels it incumbent upon him
self to open up a new set of resolu-
tons. How nice it would be if he
could close mp the old books, and
start the new year with a clean bal
ance sheet.
But, as il happens, there is no way
of effacing the past. SO the boy or girl
who looks back on the old year and
contemplates long line of follies and
faults, can only sigh for the broken
resolutions of the past and make new
ones for the future.
Perhaps this may not appear TO be
very profitable transaction, but II is
better than it seems. No one eau be
good without first desiring To be so, so
that New Years resolutions are first
steps toward the end.
This is taking it for granted that we
are all going to make resolutions,
which. of course, is not strictly true
Some very worthy boys and girls, as
well as other persons, are doubtless
discouraged by this time, and say. de
spairingly: 1T is not for me to resolve
l can't u gentle, truthful. industrious
and studious. | know | can't. because
[ resolved that / would be last New
Years day, and before the summer
came | was as bad as ever!'
No doubt that is all true. but there
is no need of getting disheartened
about it. Try. try again" refers TO
resolutions as well as deeds.
IL you can keep a resolve for two
months one year and three months
the following year there is a distinct
gain, and gives reason 70 believe that
you can keep your resolution for
whole year by and by.
Then consider the pleasure of MAX
ing good resolutions. The most mis-
chievous of boys may be veritable
saint for an entire day or may
be week. and the memory
of the event will rebound to his
credit and may Ialliate future mis-
deeds. He can realize for one day at
least IT, 1t there is actual enjoyment in
behaving himself, and who knows
what impression such a lesson may
possibly make?
suppose lldl TIE TSSDluItOnS are
only kept on the day that they are
made. Well, even that is something
gained. If everybody resolved to be
polite, considerable and amiable on the
first day of January it would certain
ly be a happy New Years day. Or,
better still, suppose we all resolved to
try to make some other person happy.
And why not? It takes very little
to bring happiness to the majority of
people. A word, look, smile. are
alike productive of pleasure, and cost
nothing at all They actually exert a
reflex action, making the one who CON
fers just as happy as the one who re-
ceives. And il is easier to be in a good
humor than in fit of temper. There
is no strain on the nerves, which, as
everybody knows, tends to shorten
life.
So, as we said before, why not have
happy New Year which shall be
t-~elve months long. since it can be
had by simply resolvingP Begin on
the first day of January. II .Tou will,
and repeat the resolve on the second
day and every one thereafter. Don't
try impossibilities; just simply make
some person happy each day in the
year aud see how happy it will make
yourself.-Golden Days.