One of the great clichés of the new year is the New Year's resolution. With the new year comes a sense of new beginnings and new possibilities. It is also a time when many of us reflect on where we are in our lives, take stock, and think about where we hope to be in the future. The result of this reflection and contemplation is often a commitment made to oneself, a resolution to make a change.
There are two kinds of resolutions; those that we make on our own, and those that we make with others. We're all familiar with the solitary resolution. "I resolve to lose weight, quit smoking, get more exercise, etc." These are the commitments we make to ourselves, that generally have to do with self improvement; correcting some perceived flaw or shortcoming in one's personal inventory of traits. But that other form of resolution, the group or community resolution, is often overlooked. These are commitments that we make as a community, commitments that can only be made by communities. These are resolutions that begin with "We resolve...," not "I resolve..."
Community resolutions can take place at any level of society. Whenever two or more people commit to a course of action together, a community resolution has been made. Block clubs are an excellent vehicle for making community resolutions, as are neighborhood associations, communities of worship, volunteer groups and a host of other associations.
Community resolutions are vital to effective crime prevention. While it's important for each of us to take personal responsibility for those things that we can control, there are many things that can only be addressed by the broader community. For example, effective burglary prevention requires not only that we take appropriate measures within our home, but also that we watch out for each other. While it's important for the individual homeowner to have adequate locks and security hardware, it's equally important to have aware, watchful neighbors who won't hesitate to call 911 if they see something suspicious.
If you are a member of a block club, have a meeting this month to discuss the coming year. Now is the time to resolve, as a group, to improve your block's security. If there's a vacant house on your block, make a commitment to each other to keep an eye on it. If you have elderly or infirm neighbors, make a commitment to each other to help out with maintenance chores for them, like shoveling the snow or mowing the lawn. If there are children on your block, resolve to host activities for them, to help ensure that they feel like part of the community too. Resolve, as a group, to get together once a month just for the fellowship.
If you don't belong to a block club, get in touch with your local neighborhood association to see how you can get involved with your community (check pages 8 and 9 for contact info). Each of the Camden neighborhoods has an active neighborhood association, and they're always looking for community members to get involved and contribute. If there is no block club on your block, now is the time to make the personal resolution to start one.
The new year is a good time to pause, take stock, and consider how we're doing as individuals, as families and as a community. Although it may not seem like it to judge by the weather outside today, spring and summer will be here soon enough, and the demands of those busy seasons will soon take up much of our time. Now is the time for us to reach out to our neighbors and make those personal and group commitments to ensure a safe, secure and fulfilling new year.