Aiming High

"The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I want to be that man. I've been working toward a few new goals this year (and some modified old ones) and the past month has been excellent ... but to date I have not written anything down. And we all know that a goal not written down is just a wish (the non-destiny driven equivalent of fortune cookies and palm readers). So, here goes - some of my goals for the next year (more may appear as I discover them):

(1) Run Four Half-Marathons: Last year I ran my first (the SLC Half-Marathon) and absolutely loved it (for four weeks leading to the race I ran over 13 miles each Saturday ... a glorious time to be alive). This year, the first two are already on deck (Provo and SLC in April). And while the others remain to be chosen, they will be run.

(2) Stay awake in All Church Meetings: I have been, up to this point, one of the most horrendous church sleepers imaginable. It's certainly offensive to those around me and to the speaker (or teacher) ... but more importantly it's offensive to God. And so, it will stop.

(3) Go to Institute Every Week: I've had trouble making institute attendance a regular occurrence during law school. This semester I'm at 100% ... and I plan to keep it that way.

(4) Find Love: Note, this is not a goal to be married (how ridiculous would that be). It's a goal to look outside myself and find someone that I can really, truly love (romantic or otherwise). For too long I've lived the good life ... the life of the people of the Brother of Jared who tarried for four years at an oceanside paradise because why would anyone want to built barges or cross an ocean when things are going so good? But I know I need to look beyond that. I need to look beyond the "Me, myself, and I" world that so many young singles inhabit. And a large part of getting beyond that world is opening my heart to love ... and to serve that person/people. It means refusing to play the game (you know, the one for control of a relationship) and giving myself without requirement. It may hurt ... it may make me feel downright depressed ... but I do believe it's never a mistake to love. Never.

Well, that's it for the moment. Updates will be posted as they come to me (after all, why wait for New Year's to make a resolution). Good luck to you all in 2009 - may this be the best year for all of us.

UPDATE: (5) Share My Testimony More Often: Not just in church. Not just while home teaching. My dad can share the reason for the hope that is in him at the drop of a hat (and frequently does ... sometimes at odd times ;) I want to be like that.
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UPDATE: (6) Create (and stick to) a Budget: Sooner or later, I have to come to grips with the fact that, while I'm not exactly a spendthrift, money does seem to fly out of my account in swift (and unusual) ways. I need to create a monthly budget that will give me the financial firmness to resist the temptation to blow $30 on Neil Gaiman books because, well, why not. February will be my test month ... I go all out in March.