Thoughts for a New Year

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Mostofuslookawaywhenwepassstrangers.Itistheexpectionalpersonwhostopstohelpthewomanmaneuveringherkidsandgroceriesupthestaircase.Werarelygiveupinlineoronthesubwayorbus.Lockedintoourautomobiles,weprefergridlocktogivingway.

Thesedailyencounters,whentheyareangryoralien,diminishourlives.Whentheyarepleasant,wefeelbuoyed.Yetwhenwesitathomeandmakeresolutions,wethinkaboutwhatwecanaomplishinprivatespaces：home,work.Toomanyhavegivenupthebeliefthattheycontroltheshared,thepublicworld.

Asindividualswecanchangethecontourofaday,themoodofamoment,thewaypeoplefeel.Thedemolitionandreconstructionofpubliclifeistheresultofpersonaldecisionsmadeeveryday：thedecisiontogiveupaseatonthebus；thedecisiontobepatientorpleasantagainstallodds；thedecisiontoletthatjerktakealeft－handturnfromaright－handlanewithoutrollingdownthewindowandcallinghimajerk.

It'stheresolutiontobeacivil,socialcreature.Thismaybeapeakperiodforthebattleagainstthespreadofawaistlineandcreepingcholesterol.Butitisalsowithinourwillpowertofightthespreadofurbanrudenessandcreepinghostility.Civilitydoesn'tstopnuclearholocaustanddoesn'tputaroofovertheheadofthehomeless.Butitmakesadifferenceintheshapeofamunity,assurelyasliftingweightscanmakeadifferenceintheshapeofahumantorso.