Change

As the old year turned to a new one, I spent some time thinking about the inevitability of change. As humans, we like to feel that we can control life circumstances. We tell ourselves that our feelings of security will increase if only we acquire more financial resources or more education. While money can help to change certain things in our lives, it is not the total answer. You see, we cannot control the destiny of our lives or the ones we love.

A friend tells me that every day something catastrophic happens on earth: a plane goes totally missing with no trace; there are cyber threats and other threats that are dealt with by a watchful military. There are fires in factories and hotels. Just turn on the television for a short time and it is easier to learn all of the domestic-related violence that is going on in your own neck of the woods.

In all of this, the good news is that we can make small changes every day that will add up to improved health. Skip the piece of cake and take a walk - easier said than done! Make resolutions but not long-term ones. One can keep a resolution for just a day. If you have a stack of thank you notes to write, prepare one a day until they are all sent.

Some changes are much bigger than us. We cannot control if or when a loved one will die. None of us is ready for such a life-changing event.

One of the important lessons of life, according to a dear friend who is 89 years old is to realize that we are all ALONE. Ultimately, we have to come to this conclusion. No matter what age we become, we cannot depend on children or any caregiver to change that overwhelming feeling that just will not quit and is all the more reason to have continued interests in the world and in current associates. The key to a happy life is involvement and ever-present education through television, the Internet and books.

My wish for you in 2015 is for you to be invested in your own life and its development. Make sure you are an "investigator" who has a willingness and openness for more learning. Best wishes for happiness and for increased health. May 2015 be the best year ever!

Patricia Cummings