Dear reader,

Another new year is upon us and with that, many of us make resolutions to strive harder, to live the best version of ourselves. Historically, I have had an annual lunch with multi-generations of family during the holiday season where we share the resolutions we wrote the previous year and assess, perhaps quietly grade how well we accomplished what we resolved. Additionally, we put down the highlights of the past year and separately the most recent favorite memories of Christmas. In this way we savor the past and then thoughtfully construct a new horizon for the future to be revisited at the traditional luncheon.

In thinking about it, a lot of good has happened even though at times it doesn’t seem that way. The news and characters in the news many times are not inspirational and can be downright disappointing. One wonders if good can prevail over evil or is it the other way around. We can address this negativity by being positive in what we say and do when interacting with one and another.

We can filter out bad news by turning off the media. We can eliminate being with people who are full of vinegar. We can create an aura of goodness around our lives through compassion and kindness. We can try to see the other person’s point of view by listening harder and imagining walking in their path. We don’t always have to agree but we can shrink the divisiveness by respectfully hearing an alternative perspective.

Overall, when we step back and survey the big picture, our lives are getting better and the world is getting better; overall crime and poverty are down while the stock market and investments are up. Let’s celebrate our joys and shut out the badness. The present status of things and a positive outlook can be auspicious harbingers of the goodness yet to come…

Patrick Wood

Publisher