inspiration
Dueling New Year’s Lists
by scott Blum
I
w
as fortunate to spend time with an enigmatic man “The first list contains
named Robert during a very special period of my all the things I should do if I
life. Robert taught me many things during our completely changed my life
days together, and this time of year to be the person I always
reminds me of one particular inter- wanted to be. The second
action we had. list contains all the things
“Now that you are becom- I could do, by accepting
ing more aware,” Robert said, my current life and taking
“you need to begin to set realistic steps towards the
goals for yourself, so you life I want to lead.”
don’t lose the momentum “Let me see the second
you have built.” list,” he said.
“Like New Year’s resolu- I handed him the second list, and with-
tions?” I asked. out even looking at it, he ripped the paper
“That’s an interesting idea,” he into tiny pieces and threw it in the nearby gar-
smirked. “Let’s do that.” bage can. His disregard for the effort I had put
By then, I was used to his cryptic re- into the list annoyed me at first, but after I calmed
sponses, so I knew something was up because down, I began to think about the first list in a
of the way his eyes sparkled as he let out an
“What you should
different light. In my heart, I knew the second
impish laugh. list was a cop out, and the first list was the only
“Tonight’s assignment is to make two
or could do with
one that really mattered.
lists,” Robert continued. “The first is a list of all
your life no longer
“Now, the first list,” Robert said, bowing
the New Year’s resolutions you want to keep, his head and holding out both of his hands.
and the second is a list of all the New Year’s
matters. The only
I purposefully handed him the first list and
resolutions you will keep. Write the want list
thing that matters,
held his gaze for several seconds, waiting for
first, and when you have exhausted all of your him to begin reading the page. After an un-
ideas, then write the second list on another
from this day
usually long silence, he began to crumple the
sheet of paper.”
forward, is what
paper into a ball and once again tossed it into
That night I went home and spent spent the can without looking at it.
some time working on the two lists. The want
you must do.”
“What did you do that for?!” I couldn’t
list felt overwhelming at first, but after a while hide my anger any longer.
I got into writing all the things I had always Robert began to speak in a quiet and as-
wanted to do if the burdens of life hadn’t gotten in the sured voice. “What you should or could do with your life
way. After nearly an hour, the list swelled to fill the entire no longer matters. The only thing that matters, from this day
page and contained nearly all of my ideas of an ideal life. forward, is what you must do.”
The second list was much easier. I was able to quickly He then drew a folded piece of paper from his back
commit 10 practical resolutions to paper that I felt would be pocket and handed it to me. I opened it carefully, and found a
both realistic and helpful. single word floating in the middle of the white page: “Love.”
The next day, I met Robert in front of the local food
co-op, where we seemed to have most of our enlightening
Scott Blum is an author and co-founder of
DailyOM.com, a source
conversations. “Tell me about your two lists,” Robert said, as
of nondenominational inspirational content and courses by luminar-
the familiar smirk crept onto his face.
ies in their fields. For more information, also visit
ScottBlum.net.
36
San Diego Edition
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