It’s time to give peace a chance

Ihope everyone had a good Christmas and New Year break . I hope those of you who were working managed to find some respite from the daily rounds. Those of us who were taking time out should not forgot the many who did work to ensure that everything went smoothly. A very special thanks are owed to those who worked to assist when assistance was required.

I managed to have the clutch on my car completely burn out while creeping along in in traffic on a very busy A14 on the Holiday Tuesday after Boxing Day. It’s not the best very of places to be stuck . I certainly felt vulnerable and watching the traffic having to slow up made me feel embarrassed too. I guess, though, I should be thankful that it was the car on the back of a breakdown wagon and not me in the back of an ambulance. I am certainly thankful that there are folk who work on bank holidays.

One thing for sure is that 2016 was a year full of surprises and challenges. We seemed to hear of one major issue causing problems after another. In 2017 we all need to face those challenges head on. Let’s hope we are ready.

It is time to dust off last year’s resolutions and get cracking to make sure they work for us this year. Challenges that the past has thrown up at us on the international stage will mean there is likely to be a significant change with the knock on effect of the changes to US government’s policies . The process of leaving the EU will also be a challenge with plenty of unknowns for us to face.

Who knows in the New Year key governments might just work together for the better - we can but hope. Actions of governments from any nation not just our own in the UK will affect us one way or another.

We will of course also have our own personal challenges to deal with. I wish you all the very best to see through and that help is to hand when you need it.

A new year is always a time for reflection, so as well as looking to a brighter future we should think about how we can make things better to see that brighter future come to fruition .

To my way of thinking little good comes out of dwelling on the past and thinking ‘if only’. It can make us feel bitter and miserable and no good will come of it for ourselves or those around us.

Though we all need to aim to put past mistakes and bad times behind us , we should not forget either, how else will we be able to say let’s stop for a rethink, we know that won’t work and the consequences will be dire if we don’t take a little time out to think things through. No one’s perfect of course and genuine mistakes will be made but the fewer the better. Reflection is a time for a new hopes and positive resolutions.

Last year turned out to be doom and gloom and the pessimistic side of me reckons that from latest news reports things seem little different. But there is a little bit of optimism that thinks hang on, does it have to be that way – we are all on the same journey on the same planet around the same sun. Sometimes just sometimes can’t governments work as one.

It’s the time of year for new beginnings and new hope. The winter solstice is just past and the daylight hours are starting to increase once more and with it the hope for a bright future.

Let’s give peace a chance and imagine we can all live as one.

Happy New Year.