Well, it’s finally 2006! I can hardly understand that another year has passed for us. I can still remember all the hype that led to Y2K (the year 2000 for anyone who has so quickly forgotten): people storing non-perishables in their bases; buy lanterns, water filters, and battery-powered generators; and still others who build bomb shelters for themselves and their loved ones. And all for what? The answer is right in front of you, think back 6 years! Give yourself a few minutes to remember it and then continue reading this article.
By now, I’m sure everyone reading this article is sure they have the right answer as to why people were so frenzied about Y2K… Well, if you haven’t guessed it, the answer is probably self-protection. and individual preservation. ! Well, now it’s 2006 and we as Americans have come a long way since 2000 and the Y2K hysteria. We have suffered the first foreign attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor, which took place on September 11, 2001. We have seen the stock market bubble burst, real estate soar to unprecedented levels, and one of America’s brands it went under. As Americans, we have seen our siblings and caretakers driven from their homes by turbulent weather patterns, and witnessed the entire state under water and in disarray. In just 6 years we have seen men and women from our Armed Forces sent as peacekeepers to the Balkans, Africa and the Middle East. We have witnessed the death of almost 3,000 of our soldiers in the last year and a half alone. But as always, we will rebuild, unite a stronger nation, and continue to prosper.
Now is a new year, a new time to rethink our values and our old ways and help shape a better and brighter future. We need to take a more proactive approach to our communities and to the great community we call America as a whole. We as Americans have grown accustomed to always reacting to events after seeing the destruction they cause. Today is a new day, and today it’s time to grab the bull by the horns. We need to make America stronger so that we can deal with whatever nature throws at us, and whatever cards the world deals us. Even if we are dealt a jack high hand, when we turn our cards over, we will have a straight flush! We can achieve a well-connected and cohesive America, starting simply with each and every one of us doing some or all of the steps listed below. Americans can be stronger today and stay stronger for tomorrow.
So, without further goodbyes, here are the 2006 New Year’s resolutions for all Americans!
1. When you leave home in the morning on your way to work or to pick up the newspaper, take the time and make an effort to talk to your neighbors. You have to live next to them so you might as well enjoy their company!
2. When you see litter on the street in and around your neighborhood, stop for a moment, pick it up, and throw it in a trash can. The streets are part of who we are! So keeping them clean is a must.
3. Read about an American hero from any era. Someone you’ve always been interested in. A biography, a website, a magazine article, anything. Just to get an appreciation of one: reading, and: two American sacrifices. Pass the knowledge on to your spouse, friends, children, anyone, don’t keep it to yourself!
4. Take at least one vacation this year. We all need time to relax and rejuvenate our mind, body, and soul!
5. Ask yourself this question: “Am I happy where I am?” If your answer is yes, then keep doing what you’re doing. If your answer is no, then pick yourself up by your boot straps and go where you’re going. I got tired of seeing everyone so miserable!
6. Donate to a valuable US charity that you think is doing a good job. Come on, this one is also financially beneficial as most charities are tax deductible!
7. Subscribe to one of our nations’ newspapers. There is a lot of useful information in them. I promise!
8. Invite some of your neighbors over to watch the next Super Bowl. Although it’s no secret that the New England Patriots are destined to win another championship, it will bring your community together!
9. Pick a stock that you think embodies the American entrepreneurial spirit and invest a certain amount of money in it. Just enough to keep you interested in company affairs and dealings! I heard that tech stocks are making a comeback!
10. Write a letter to your local, state or federal representative expressing your views on what you think needs to be accomplished in 2006. It’s easy to sit back and complain that the country is headed in the wrong direction, but maybe get involved with helping change the things!
The strength we need will be found in ourselves and in everyone around us: friends, family alike!
Happy New Year America!