The new year is under way. The old year has passed into history with its joys and terrible sorrows, its accomplishments and failures, its loves and hates.
As we look back to 2012 we can think of many things we wish we might have the opportunity to undo or many others that we wish we had done. Such regrets are of no avail except to make us more resolved that we will be better during the next 12 months.
There may be some who ask why there is all the excitement over the changing of the date from 2012 to 2013. Why is it any different than the mere opening of another week or returning to work after any other holiday?
Aside from the fact that it is the time when most businesses and individuals close their books for the year and take stock of their gains and losses, there probably is not much difference. The tasks that were started on Monday must be picked up on Wednesday and carried through to accomplishment.
But the observance of New Year's Day with its friendly greetings, its resolutions, its marking of the passing of the years - which speed by only too fast as we grow older - affords an opportunity for all of us to take stock of ourselves. Only too rarely do we pause to do this in the hustle and bustle of life.
As the old year passes and the new year arrives, strangely enough, we have a feeling that we have an opportunity to wipe the slate clean of our past mistakes and start afresh. It is a healthy thing to purge that sense of failure that often accompanies our mistakes and to strike out with a new courage and resolve.
It is not necessary to formally draft a set of New Year's resolutions and pledge to keep them through the coming 12 months. If we just pause to take on a fresh supply of courage and resolve to do our utmost during the year, we will have set our sails for a more successful year.
The resolve may weaken and our courage may spring a leak, but never let it be said we did not try.