This season was provocative in unusual ways. While thinking about the concept of resolutions, it occurred to me that the main difficulty is not subject matter for them, but following through. Perhaps the most difficult of resolutions to be practiced are those,
which have to do with the need to make an alteration of attitude towards psychological struggles. These effect our outward behavior and are no small thing to change.

The Middle Way came to mind because it appears to me that there is a path, which the mind needs to perceive and then a motivation needs to be present to follow that line. And that line would seem to be between the world of ideological choices which might be usefully made, and those which need to be steered clear of, because they are
obviously those which have been problematic in the past. Even though I knew that this orientation of mind was required, still something else was nagging at the "back" of my mind. Something was still missing in terms of that which would be essential to see a
resolution through.

Upon further consideration on another line of thought, my mind "snapped back" and realized that, this something is really the "knowing" or true realization of a line of endeavor, which was not just better, but the only one. It would be the path of least resistance, and the resistance would "melt away" when awareness was so crystalline, that not only would no other way be correct, but, the walking of this line would
actually be effortless. Therefore, it seemed to me, with such awareness, the thing was accomplished.

So, the point is, accomplishing the resolution, is as important as the realization process, which proceeds it. But here is the place where a dangerous kind of laziness can set in.
This laziness is a by-product of the attempt to do the mental work of staying with the subtleties of thought process, which will ultimately lead to the Middle Way perception of least resistance. Because of this we may have, on occasion, fallen short of the required realization. While trying to follow our path of thought and discovery, the subtle variations of thought would seem to cloud our vision and our way would seem to keep closing in on us, like following a path in a sand box. Here is where perseverance is required and that supported by a strong motive.

It is possible that pain and suffering have been the cause behind this resolution and freedom from that will seem a strong motive. But, a more important thing to consider is the fact that following through with this resolution might give one the formulae necessary to follow through with many more. In fact it is quite possible that the buoyancy based in success from the strong realization of this Middle Way is enough motive in itself. In this way, perhaps, the motive stays impersonal and there is power in that, alone.