Ah . . . To-Do lists.  I love them dearly and depend upon them more and more as the years fly by.  I’ve ceased to view them as a crutch and now consider them an essential part of daily life.  My problem is, no matter how many lists I make, I either lose them or forget to look at them.  At the end of the day . . . or week . . . or month . . . or year, I find all these things that are left undone that I truly intended to address, but which were chased from my noggin’ by more immediate matters.

That observation brings us to the infamous “New Year’s Resolution(s)”, those pesky creatures that fill you with hope on January 1 and guilt not long thereafter.  Whether they involve diet and exercise, decluttering and organization, or a kinder, gentler approach to life, we have every intention of doing better and being better . . . and, if we’re lucky, it lasts about a month.  Old habits are hard to break and it takes real strength and will power to wrestle some of them into submission.

And that observation brings us to the realization that we are human and imperfect and, more often than not, unable to follow through in some very important areas of life.  That kinder, gentler thing?  How many of us allow life with its trials and tribulations to run over us, shortening our tempers and destroying our patience with those around us?  That diet and exercise nonsense?  Maybe those changes could lead to a better, longer life with fewer health issues and more pain-free time spent with family and friends instead of confined to a house or hospital bed.  And that decluttering and organization mess?  Don’t even get me started.  That’s my greatest downfall and if I don’t follow through on that one this year, my contributions to this blog may cease ‘cause I’ll have been crushed by an avalanche of paper from my desk (which is probably where all of my To-Do lists are hiding) . . . or stuff from a closet at the house.  Oh, I can blame it on my father since this seems to be hereditary in nature (at least on my side of the family) or I can say I just don’t have time to put everything back or up or whatever is appropriate, but the truth is I’ve fallen into a terrible habit that I need to break, if for no other reason than to preserve what little sanity I have left.

We’re at T minus less than a week and counting until a new year pounces upon us, providing us with a clean slate for insurance deductibles and lifestyle changes.  Take advantage of the opportunity and permanently make the changes that will make your life, and the lives of those you love, better.  I could give you a detailed list that would probably include saying “I love you” more, yelling less, slowing down and enjoying life, and having the discussions with your family that are truly important.  But everyone’s list has to be their own or it doesn’t work, so I’ll just leave you with this.  No matter how long life is, it is still too short.  Make the most of it while you can.  Happy New Year, everyone.  May it be filled with peace, and joy, and love—and the strength to endure when it is not.

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