New Year's celebrations have been recorded about as long as anything has been recorded-at least 5,000 years-and in many different seasons of the year. The Gregorian calendar settled on January 1 in 1582. No matter when you celebrate it, though, New Year's is a differ-ent kind of holiday. It doesn't commemorate the past-vic-tory in war, hero's birthday. You might say it celebrates hope.
Especially in year number one of a new century, it's nat-ural to hope that the world will make progress toward peace and equality. But often there's more than hope involved in our thoughts about a new year-there's also resolve. We're committed to making our hopes happen.
Our cover story this month by Susan Mack looks at resolutions in a fresh light. To improve anything requires commitment, but to really break through in a significant way may mean taking an entirely different approach to the way we see ourselves. In fact, that resolution is one this magazine is making for itself in the coming year. Our staff has joined with teams from our sister publications to enlarge our vision of the ways we can better respond to the growing global demand for practical spirituality. We hope Journal readers will actively participate with us in this commitment by contributing your ideas-and prayers.
