First, a caveat: If you are the type that actually makes resolutions AND sticks to them, then my 2010 blessing is this instead: ‘May your resolutions beat the crap out of your troubles all year long’. But if you are like most of us then this napkin blessing is for you.

Everyone’s life has them. Some are of our own making (more than we would like to admit). Some are due to who we are in relationship with. Some are random accidents and twists of fate. Some are biology and chemistry. Some of you would say it is all God. Some of you will say it isn’t. No matter though, you still must deal with your troubles.

Be it resolved for all of us that we will face them head on in 2010.

• We won’t make excuses
• we won’t hide our head in the sand
• we won’t enable others to continue in their troubles

• We will use our troubles to increase our love. We will use them to increase our understanding, our empathy, our giving, our tenderness.

• We will not use our troubles to build our resentments. We won’t use them to increase our anger, our prejudices, our hatreds, our meanness.

Keep these as your resolutions and they will beat the crap out of any troubles that come your way now and forever.

Drawing and commentary © Marty Coleman

“May all your troubles last only as long as your New Year’s resolutions.” – Joey Adams, 1911-1999, American Comedian