New Year’s Resolution for 2017
Being rich with all I have gained on the way
A few days ago I was discussing at dinner with some friends what will be our new year’s resolutions for this year, and I was struggling to find one for me. Yes, I have a big resolution regarding my family, but nothing strictly personal, nothing about me as an individual.
And then today I came across this quote, through the website of a young and promising developer:
Always keep Ithaca in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for many years;
and to anchor at the island when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.
Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would have never set out on the road.
Constantine P. Cavafy, 1911
And as soon as I’ve read it, it struck in my mind for its beauty and for its truth. It resonated so much with the way I feel in this moment of my life, that in the blink of an eye it’s become my new year’s resolution: live the 2017 being rich with all I have gained on the way.
As a person, as a developer, as a father and husband.
PS: thank you so much Katia for letting me discover it: as you can see friendship and serendipity often work two ways.
Update: it’s the end of 2017, it’s time for reviews: how did things go?
Well, I have to admit I was struggling to remember what my new year’s resolution was, until this morning, when Facebook suggested me this one-year-old post. While reading it, I realized that actually yes, I’ve spent this year enjoying and “reaping the fruits” of the labor I’ve done before.
As a developer, building a Design System on top of a Style Guide, earning (even more) the trust and confidence of my colleagues and managers, looking at the impact that my ideas and approaches were having on the team, the product, the company (instead of starting from scratch in a new company).
As a member of the web community, giving talks at meetups and conferences about things I have learned in the last two years, and organizing myself –with the help of two dear friends– a small but cool and very successful meetup in London (based on a similar experience I had when I lived in Italy).
As a father and husband, spending much more “quality time” with my family, during the weeks and the holidays. I have collected moments and memories that will last my entire life.
So yes, in 2017 I’ve definitely felt like a “rich” person :)