NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS MAY NOT HAVE MUCH STAYING POWER,
but the tradition of making them is an enduring one that dates back thousands of years. According to History.com,
ancient Babylonians are credited with being the first people to make New Year’s resolutions. During Akitu, a 12-day
religious festival, the Babylonians would make promises to their gods, and these promises typically focused on being a
better person in the coming year. Celebrants of the festival, which was held when crops were planted, a time that marked
the beginning of a new year to individuals in certain ancient societies, would promise the gods that they would repay
their debts and return any items they had borrowed in the previous year. While these promises might have been the
forerunners to modern New Year’s resolutions, there is one distinct difference that separates ancient Babylonians from
people in modern times. Babylonians believed keeping their word to the gods would curry favor for them in the coming
year, while failure to keep their promises would do the opposite. People who make resolutions today typically do so to
better themselves and do not fear reprisal from their creator if they fail to live up to their pledges. That’s likely a good
thing, as various reports suggest that as much as 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions are abandoned by the second
week of February.
Wine • Port • Champagne
26
1. Light fixture missing
2. Two leaves added to sidewalk
3. Shadow of tree is missing
4. Numbers on mailbox are different colors
5. Yellow awning has been removed
6. Purple Moxxie box – the front image had
been removed 66.
7.Line missing in paneling under roof
8. Line in sidewalk missing
9. The shrubs in the distance are bigger
10. Silver car is gone
11. White pip on sidewalk is covered with leaves
12. Shadow on bottom left is smaller
ANSWERS FROM
WHAT’S THE
DIFFERENCE
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