Several years ago, my son Gabriel was brainstorming ways to make money. Apparently, he didn’t think he would receive enough for Christmas, at least not an amount adequate to purchase that amazing electric guitar. He established various tasks by which he could fleece me of as much money as possible. How about twenty dollars for a flushed toilet? How about another hundred to clean it — just the top, of course? Upon hearing too many refusals, he chose another recourse: a threat.

“Mom, if you don’t let me make money, I’ll become a lawyer when I grow up.” I think the idea was that he could then sue me for everything I was worth.

Every January, the turn of the calendar is synonymous with the word “pause.” Most of us want our upcoming year to differ, at least in part, from the previous year, so we set resolutions. A resolution is usually defined as a goal or a promise. We decree that this year we’ll lose weight, meet a mate, break up a bad relationship, or exercise. That’s great, but we have to remember that another definition of the word is “the process of resolving something.” We can’t create the future until we embrace, reflect on, and, with kindness, release the past. And maybe we need to make a few changes.