Follow Through in 2017

Happy New Year!  This morning when I woke up I began thinking about the new year and the potential that lay ahead.  I began thinking about New Year's resolutions.  I never do too well with resolutions. Oh, I do pretty good for the first week and then things seem to unravel.  I've tried several things to remedy that.  I've tried to make resolutions that are more easily achievable.  I've even tried not making resolutions.  What is my problem?

Follow through.  It reminds me of this memory: When I was a young boy, my parents bought me a big book full of beautiful pictures and little stories about animals that had morals at the end of each story.  The book was called Aesop's Fables.  I loved it and read the stories over and over and over.  There was a story in there called "The Belling of the Cat"  I'll paraphrase it the best I remember it.

Image Credit

The mice held a committee meeting as things weren't going well in Mouseville. There was a cat in the house that was tormenting the mouse population. Something had to be done and had to be done quickly.  As the mice conferred, a young mouse moved forward with an idea.  Two of his friends carried out a collar that had bells fastened to it.  The mouse explained to the elders that they proposed that they should attach the collar with the bells on it around the cat's neck.

That way, when the cat came into the room, the mice would hear the bells jingling and would be able to get out of the way of the hungry feline.  Although Maw Maw and Paw Paw and cousin Pookie had been devoured by the cat, with the bell around the cat's neck, the slaughter of the mice would end.

What a great idea!  The mice put the young mice on their shoulders and paraded them around the room.  They were all so happy with the good news that would ensure their survival.  Then it got real quiet in the room  as all the mice pondered the question on everyone's minds:  Who would put the collar with the bells on the cat?

The moral of the story is that Great Plans without corresponding action are just mere, empty words. Plans, goals, and, yes, resolutions require follow through.  The mice taught me what I need this year to help me.