We have not only entered a New Year but a new decade. Remember when we were entering 2000? That seemed like such a milestone and now it has been twenty years since that happened. Do not know about events in your life, but my life has changed a whole lot since 2000. I have lost both my husband and my only sibling. In other ways my life has not changed much. Still have my antique store, still go to work most every day. Still live in Plymouth in my comfortable home. Still welcome visitors into my home. Still have kitties though not the same ones. Still in relatively good health. Still write my weekly column though another paper has picked it up. Still try to thank God each day for my blessings and each day I pray for healing and help for friends and relatives.
Sometimes it seems that bad things happen to good people and that is true. Man has been given choice. It is horrible when accidents happen but we are given the choice to wear or not wear a seat belt. We are given the choice to look at our phone when driving or not to do so. We are given the choice to go too fast for conditions or to stay home when the roads are bad. Sometimes we had no choice to travel as we have jobs that require our presence. Please make good choices this year when your are traveling. Wear that seat belt, put the phone away. Slow down when conditions warrant and look out for that other driver who does none of these things!
We also have some choice in health. I gave up soda in 2019. Actually surprised how easy that was. I eat too much sugar, but no soda was a good first step. I really like to eat! I do find that apples, carrots, celery and avocados make good snacks. But avocados are much tastier made into dip and eaten on yummy chips! I seldom fry anything but I like to eat out and a fried tenderloin is much tastier than a grilled one and chicken and fish just have to be fried! Have you tried the chicken strips at HyVee? They are great and fried-what else. Perhaps I will try to do eat better in 2020 or perhaps, I will just continue to love Golden Corral and chicken strips.
Then there is exercise. We all need to move our bodies to remain in good health. Exercise helps ward off diabetes, Alzheimer’s and more. It is really easy to not get on that exercise bicycle however!
2020 would also be a great time to try to be more kind. Stop posting those hateful Facebook posts. You are not going to change any ones mind about politics and you don’t have to tell the world every day that you are going to vote for Trump. If you like him, vote for him but if someone else does not agree with you, “agree to disagree and move on”. There is no need to try to elevate your position by stepping upon another person. Educate yourself. Do the very best you can with what you have. If you don’t feel you have enough, then try to do something about that. Get a job, change jobs-whatever it takes. If you hate Illinois so much, move. Think you will probably find that Illinois was not the problem.
Work very hard at being kind. Smile at strangers. Talk to people, most need more friends. One does not always need to say something. Just listening may be exactly what the other person needs. Try to consider that all people were not created the same color or do not believe in the same God. Be tolerant-what do you have to lose. You might even find that you have a lot to gain from others.
Thanks to those of you who were concerned when there was no column last week.
Each new year brings new opportunities. Embrace to good ones and turn away from the bad ones.
May each of us have a Blessed New Year and may we be a blessing to those we meet along life’s pathway.