Last night I went to bed contemplating New Year’s resolutions. All of them, written not solely for me but for every one of us, are listed in an anthology of wisdom called “Abounding Grace.” The book was edited and compiled by M. Scott Peck and was published by Andrews McMeel Publishing in Kansas City, Mo. It could easily serve as a guidepost for enumerating our own resolutions for the year 2003 since the collection of quotations comes from so many varied writers and thinkers, both famous and obscure, ancient and modern.

Take, for instance, the section on “happiness,” which contains these ingredients: acceptance, cheerfulness, contentment, forgiveness, gratitude, humor, and serenity. One of my favorite quotations in this chapter is from George Granville: “Happy the man, of mortals happiest he, whose quiet mind from vain desires is free; whom neither hopes deceive, nor fears torment, but lives at peace, within himself content.”

About “courage,” this quote by Will Henry stands out: “The wishbone will never replace the backbone.” And another by Dorothy Bernard: “Courage is fear that has said its prayers.”

In our New Year’s resolutions, we seek “compassion,” which entails charity, generosity, hospitality, kindness and mercy. “We live very close together,” said the Dalai Lama. “So, our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.” A similar thought came from Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux: “In this world, you must be a bit too kind in order to be kind enough.”

The section on “purity” includes quotations about dignity, humility and simplicity – qualities that would serve us well as we make resolutions for next year. Rudyard Kipling said: “Teach us delight in simple things.” As for humility, this quote by Jawaharlal Nehru should be noted: “Let us be a little humble; let us think that the truth may not perhaps be entirely with us.”

In the new year, we would strive for “perseverance,” for commitment, determination, diligence and patience. “By perseverance,” said C.H. Spurgeon, “the snail reached the Ark.” Franklin D. Roosevelt urged: “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” This anonymous quote says it all: “Failure is a detour, not a dead-end street.”

Other chapters in “Abounding Grace” describe “courtesy,” “faith,” “goodness,” “love,” “honesty” and “wisdom.” Particularly poignant is this quote from Pearl S. Buck: “When hope is taken away from a people moral degeneration follows swiftly after.” And this one by Martin Luther King Jr.: “We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.”

For the coming year, we will keep handy this anthology. We will read and reread the words to help guide us, to help change us. We will remember Abraham Lincoln’s words: “I don’t think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.”

My resolution – and my wish for all of you – is to grow wiser in the new year.