My Wishes in 2008

The last sunset of 2007, looking at San Francisco Bay from Oakland/Berkeley hills, 5:00 p.m. today.

In these parts of the world, on New Year’s Eve, many people make a New Year’s Resolution. It is a commitment or a promise the individual makes to him/herself for changing or improving something in his/her life over the coming year. Most people make resolutions which involve a better lifestyle, such as exercising and quitting smoking. Taking better care of finances and professional opportunities are also among the most common New Year’s Resolutions. I have a list every year on New Year’s Eve. Throughout the year, then, I try to adhere to those “wishes,” and if I haven’t accomplished them by Nowrooz, I make them my Nowrooz wishes, and start all over again! I will share with you parts of my list. I would like to invite you to make some wishes and resolutions, too, and share them with us.

My 2008 Wish List

1. I wish for world peace in 2008. I hope loss of innocent human lives stops in 2008. I hope all the mean people in the world to wake up tomorrow and be incapable of hating anymore.
2. I resolve to lose weight.
3. I resolve to quit smoking.
4. I resolve to work harder on my career this year.
5. I wish my niece gets well and her red blood cells don’t attack her body anymore.
6. I wish my older son will be admitted to a good university this year. I wish my younger son to continue on his path of positive growth and self discovery.
7. I wish Kavoos would pass his horrible exams.
8. I wish Mehran would finish his last two terms successfully.
9. I wish Leva would laugh at how silly it was to worry about January 2008.
10. I wish Bayram would fall in love.
11. I wish Maryam would get the job of her dreams at Stanford Medical Center.
12. I resolve to read more books this year. I need to start and finish reading the 12 books on my nightstand (the ones I dust every week, but don’t have time to read).
13. I wish to go to Iran this year.
14. I resolve to take more serious steps in improving my writing. I must attend a writing class. I want to get started on my book this year.
15. I wish my friend gets a US visa and comes to visit the man she loves.
16. I wish I would become stronger and more able to forget some of the painful memories of my past.
17. I resolve to look into yoga this year (notice I only want to “look in” for now).
18. I wish for myself and others without a partner to be thunder struck with the love of a good person this year. Life is too short.
19. I wish to learn Scottish dancing. Better yet, I wish to learn Kurdish dancing this year.
20. I resolve to clean my garage (it’s a mess, believe me).
    Happy New Year Everybody!