Did you know how many definitions there are for ‘resolutions’? Display resolution, or one talks about optical and printing resolutions, political and business resolutions, resolutions in music and mathematics and…New Year’s Resolutions. Somehow all definitions promise a hidden improvement, a better vision. I am all for making resolutions, will you join me?

To do so we should go for a walk in the hills of the Kyrenia mountains. Have you ever done the lovely road from Ilgaz to Karaman? Not more than 90 minutes. You can also do it the other way round and end up at Club Ilgaz for a cup of coffee. All along the 90 minutes’ walk you have the sea and the coastal line in your …improved vision through a better resolution …and …oh look the anemones are out, white, bluish and pink…. and the giant daisies, oh yes, the myrtle is blooming and how nice the white blossoms smell and right next to it the blue fruit of it; do you know the strawberry tree, I would rather call it a bush, red stems and the fruit do look like strawberries.

Here comes your first resolution for the New Year: I will do more walks in the island’s most beautiful hills and watch nature paint over the landscape with the first timid spring colours….

And while you walk uphill you feel your muscles hurt and your breath get short and here comes our next resolution: We must do more regular exercises, stretch our muscles, our lung wings; eat properly and avoid …hmhmhm, oh you know what I mean, all these little in-betweens of one or two drinks before lunch, the sweets after lunch or the crunchy chips in front of the TV screen.

Sit for one moment here on the rock with me and have a look across the bluish sea, you can see the Turkish coast, it is so clear. Moments you would like to memorize and you would like to take pictures… here comes another possible resolution: I will try to learn more about the fauna and flora of Cyprus by either by joining one of those nature walks, or join the Kuskor Association (to protect nature and birds) or even visit their library to leaf through the many books there. Did you know that we have very good photographers in the country and that regular photo competitions are held in which you could participate?

Oh look, here in the shade of rocks the first cyclamen, in my stone garden I have hundreds of them….While I write this I see two hunters with their dogs go across the hills with their guns over their shoulders, it is Sunday December 30, what do they need these little birds for? I went out into the garden and waved them in: chums come here to our garden, hide, the madmen are loose again.

Let’s resume our walk. When we were young there was a lot one could make resolutions about, now at our age past the sixties we know what is wrong and what is right, what hurts the others and what does them good. We should apply our own experiences and the wisdom that has grown with our hair turning white. Life can be so easy if we would follow just one simple rule: be good to the others as you are good to yourself.

Listen to the birds singing, and the sun warming your face and making you smile and listen to the wind that has come a far way with stories from other people having the same thoughts about resolutions, for example like the boy or girl one was a long time ago…….

My New Year's resolution

I will not throw the cat out the window
Or put a frog in my sister's bed
I will not tie my brother's shoelaces together
Nor jump from the roof of Dad's shed
I shall remember my aunt's next birthday
And tidy my room once a week
I'll not moan at Mum's cooking (Ugh! fish fingers again!)
Nor give her any more of my cheek.
I will not pick my nose if I can help it
I shall fold up my clothes, comb my hair,
I will say please and thank you (even when I don't mean it)
And never spit or shout or even swear.
I shall write each day in my diary
Try my hardest to be helpful at school
I shall help old ladies cross roads (even if they don't want to)
And when others are rude I'll stay cool.
I'll go to bed with the owls and be up with the larks
And close every door behind me
I shall squeeze from the bottom of every toothpaste tube
And stay where trouble can't find me.
I shall start again, turn over a new leaf,
leave my bad old ways forever
shall I start them this year, or next year
shall I sometime, or .....

By Robert Fisher