10 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday January 11, 2002 New Year's Resolution worth keeping By Meaghan Hillier G R . 12. ST. T H O M A S A Q U IN A S s I rushed through the shopping mall on a mission to buy my last minute Christmas presents, I realized that people were running from store to store, knocking people with their bags, pushing through crowds and disregarding everyone around them. I could not believe the neglect many individuals showed for others, especially at such a time a Christmas. It seemed that everyone's mindset was to find the best deals, to purchase that last-minute, almost forgotten gift, and to do it as fast as possible. Nowhere did 1 see or feel the true spirit of Christmas, or respect for one another, or the true meaning of life. I resolve that 1 am going to take some time to appreciate those around me. I further resolve to lead a more self less life, something we often uncon sciously ignore. The gift o f life is unquestionably so precious, but it can, and often is, taken A for granted. Instead of discovering and cherish ing what life has to offer, we often turn to materialism. Achieving happiness is often equated with money and what that money can buy. This focus restricts our appreciation o f life and we become oblivious to the wonders and diversi ties. The meaning of life is in the eyes o f the beholder, however, in many, when we are conN ew s fronted with life's obstacles, we react negatively rather than accept them. If there is one thing I truly and strongly support, it is the fact that everything happens for a reason. Thus, along with my New Year's Resolution to concentrate on the beau ties o f life rather than its downfalls. This will also improve the way I feel about my life and the way I feel K ID SS P E A K and relate to others in society. As a New Year's Resolution for every one, we should take the time to treasure our lives and value every one around us. Furtherm ore, we should never give way to despondency and desperation. Consider this: there is no reason why it rained on your March Break. There is not reason why you dropped your books on the stairs at school. These things just, well, happen. There are many similar situations and we just have to learn to accept them for what they are. Understanding and accepting that there are some things over which we have no control means that we'll begin to enjoy more o f what we have rather than thinking about the things we want. « Barrie Erskine · Oakville Beaver NARROW ESCAPE: A female passenger in a late model Ford Aerostar was lucky to escape with her life after her head was pinned between a metal sidewalk railing and the inside o f the minivan she was riding around 4 p.m. yesterday. At press time, Haiton Regional Police were still investigating the accident that occurred on Trafalgar Road just north of Cornwall Road. The minivan jum ped the pedestrian walkway, snapping half a dozen vertical, metal support bars while the horizontal pedestrian rail ing rammed through the front windshield. Oakville fire fighters cut the railing to free the woman's head. She was shaken by the incident, but appeared to suffer only a bump. The woman was taken to hospital in a spinal sup port stretcher. The male driver of the van was uninjured. PROPANE & FURNACE OIL GREATPRICES! DEPENDABLE DELIVERY! PAYMENT AND DEUVERY OPTIONS AVAILABLE VOLUME DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE ON PROPANE, DIESEL, GAS, FURNACE OIL CALL "FUELS" (905) 5284)241 Toil Free 1-800-263-6483 9£ Look for our flyer inside today's paper T CONTRACTORS, 1,000,000 SQ.FT. OF CARPET SLASHED FOR QUICK SALE! 5 0 0 ,0 0 0 SQ .FT. OF L A M IN A T E A S H L E Y F U R N I T U R E 1 1I I I STORE HOURS M o n .-F ri. 9-9; S a t. 9-6 ; S un . 10 -5 DRASTICALLY REDUCED! 111 Mississauga 600 Matheson BW. West (Heartland Town Centre) Mississauga Dundas & Hwy. *403 (West of Winston ChurcM) ASHLEY FURNITURE HOMESTORE (9 0 S ) 64 3-4 64 6 (905)-361-1046 (905^828-9755 C A N A D A 'S F L O O R IN G G IA N T 4 1 0 Lewis Road, U n it # 1 7 Stoney Creek, in tfie D ecor Centre (Between the Fruitland & Fifty Road exits oft the Q.E.W.)