If we jumped in a time machine and pressed a button that read “medieval times” on New Year’s Eve, we would step out and be greeted by knights recommitting themselves to chivalry in what was known as “peacock vow.” In case the name didn’t give it away, a peacock vow required men to place their hands over the peacock at the dinner table and take the pledge of chivalry — a far cry from what we see now. Inversely, if medieval people jumped in a time machine and traveled to the present, they would be more than confused. Probably appalled. How did celebrating chivalry evolve into putting on the tightest, most sparkly skirt you could find before drinking your body weight?

One common threat we’ve kept since the days of the peacock vow is commitment to something new in the new year with a resolution.  

Most of us know the all too common feeling of fresh ambition that ensues with a new year. We make resolutions to lose those couple — or twenty — pounds we gained during the holidays, get out of debt or stop smoking. Regardless of the commitment, we make resolutions that will better ourselves and give us a new and improved outlook on life … for about a week.

 Just two years ago my resolution, though self-centered and cliché, was to participate in some type of physical activity each and every day. I was motivated and ready to go. I even bought new running shoes to aid my quest to commitment. Despite the freezing weather, I upheld my resolution. Pride kept my resolution alive. 

But one afternoon, life happened. I had a lot of homework, so I skipped one day … then another, and another, and that trend seemed to continue until I found myself wearing 2012 glasses, watching the ball drop from my living room sofa. My zeal evaporated as quickly as the feeling of writing 2012 on my papers became natural. I was officially one of ‘those’ people.

Though I am not proud of my three-week resolution, I know for a fact that I am not alone in this committing the crime of noncommittal. I have yet to meet someone who has upheld a resolution for an entire year. 

Needless to say, we as a community need to take a page from the “Medieval Guide to Celebrating the New Year” and work on commitment — it could get us out of the dungeons of our infidelity and help us honor our commitment to our resolutions.