Instead of (well, okay, in addition to) the same old plans to lose weight, exercise regularly and save money, this year my top resolution is one with a bit more lasting impact: To make sure that the people I care about know what they mean to me.
Last year I lost my father. I adored him and never had any doubt about how much he loved me, but we were not a family that expressed those feelings in words. When he got sick there were so many things I wanted to say to him and hear from him but as long as we had hope that he would recover it seemed inappropriate to begin talking as if he wouldn’t. I thought there would be time for that, but in the end for a variety of reasons there wasn’t.
The truth is no one gets out of this life alive. There is no guarantee that any of us will have time at the end of our lives, or the lives of our loved ones, to say all the things that should be said. So this year, in addition to my regular resolutions about eating healthy food, exercising, flossing, taking vitamins, etc., I resolve to tell the people who matter to me what a difference they have made in my life. I have a lot of experience setting goals and making resolutions and some efforts have been more successful than others. I know the best way to keep this somewhat vague resolution is to make it more specific and create a plan – so here it is. Maybe it’s an idea that can work for some of you. 
In 2009 I will:
1. Make a list of 12 people who mean something to me.
2. Write one person’s name on my calendar the first of every month. Maybe it’s their birthday month,
or the month we met, or a month I know is a tough one for them. Or maybe just a random month.
3. Write a letter to each person during their month to tell them, very specifically:
- Why I love them
- My favorite thing about them
- A funny story they might not remember
- My favorite way to spend time with them
- Why I am proud of them
- What they have taught me
- How they have touched my life in some way they may not even be aware of
- Why I am grateful to have them in my life
4. And this is important - MAIL THE LETTER! Email is fine and phone calls are great, but there is really nothing like an old
fashioned letter coming through the U.S. mail, right?
5. Keep a copy. I want to save them all in one place to remind myself of all the wonderful people in my life. Maybe I can even
compile them into a book at the end of the year!
What do you think? Do you have other ideas for me? Thoughts on how to keep this resolution on track? I'd love to hear from you.
~Kristi
Robert Armstrong, 1933-2008