Momentum

Forward motion. Consistent movement.

A New Year. Lots of talk of New Year's resolutions, goals, plans, and purpose for the next twelve months. I enjoy setting goals, thinking of plans, what I want to accomplish. I am great at making lists. The problem comes when I realize someone (me) has to actually do all those great goals.

waiting our turn on the rink

For a family outing, our daughter's family treated us all to an afternoon at the roller rink. I haven't skated since high school in our church gym, thirty nine years ago (yikes!). After a slow start, gaining back the feel of being on wheels rather than solid ground, I picked up speed and began to enjoy the skating, not being afraid of falling. Although I never felt completely loose and fluid, moving around the rink was fun and comfortable. Until. Some of the skaters didn't have a clear picture of the pattern of everyone flowing in a circle around the rink. They would dart out at unexpected moments, interrupting my path. Usually, I could turn and avoid them. Only once, I lost my momentum and fell, laughing with the little girl who had plunked down in front of me. We both got up and went on our way, unhurt.

This made me think of New Year's goals. How long can we maintain the momentum to keep them? Sometimes the smallest things throw us off balance and knock us off the path of our greatest intentions. We catch a cold and don't keep up the exercise. It seems getting back on track takes more effort than it would to stay on the path, doing something, even little things to keep up the momentum. This year, I want to think of ways to keep up the momentum, to stay on track and keep a forward motion, working through the interruptions, to keep moving toward my goals.

What easily throws you off the path, derailing your forward motion, throwing you off kilter?