Of Resolutions and Mottos

Last night for Family Home Evening we decided to write down our resolutions for the New Year. We sat down with pen and paper in hand and while most of us thoughtfully wrote down a few things, Charles added his customary flair and decided to see how many things he could write in three minutes. Ours are full of the usual things that we are always striving to do while his is filled with the extraordinary such as: get better aim on the toilet (he actually just wrote toilet, but he was in a hurry), eat 50 burritos, and write a book. Ibby was laughing so hard at his list that she decided she had better write down "Not laugh so hard" on her list. She had almost stopped breathing.

I have also wanted to have a family motto for quite some time so I brought that up last night and someone said that it should be, Be Quiet. One would think I say that a lot or something. I went along for a bit and suggested that we make a big banner for the wall that simply says "Shhhhhhhhh!" After a while I said that everyone ought to think about what our motto should be for a few days and then we will talk about it on Sunday. They all said, "I thought we already had a motto." What is it? Lucy said, "Give said the little stream." Huh? Where did that come from? And the older kids said, "Be Quiet." They then proceeded to compose a song, which was actually quite good, about being quiet and how we could sing it at every family event (they were singing quite loudly I might add). No. That motto is not what I had in mind. Ella looked at me and with perfect sincerity asked, "Is it just the wording that you don't like? But you want something along those same lines, right?" No. That is not at all what I would consider a good family motto. It does not even closely resemble what I was imagining. It is not even the third cousin twice removed of my vision. I was thinking of something with more gravity and resonance, something awe-inspiring, something enviable. Yes, I was thinking more in the direction of something that would make people stop and say, "Oh, my. Isn't that something! That is lovely. I wish I had thought of that. Mary, I hope you don't mind, but may I copy you and use that for my family motto?" And I would graciously bow, wave my hand, and reply, "But of course, of course." Perhaps if we write it pretty and put quotes around it. Oh -- and write it in latin. Maybe that will do.




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You may all imitate our profundity if you would like. You don't even have to ask.