A recipe that can guarantee you a fantastic 2018

And we do mean it – next year will be a good year.

If you look through our paper, you’ll find stirring stories of people doing good things, from Tom Urie turning his life around to the succour the Ripple Retreat is giving to hard-pressed families.

We have reported harsh reality, too, of course – there are stories of bad luck, illness and tragedy.

But, if you look through our paper today you’ll find an awful lot of things to bring a smile to your face.

And that’s the recipe to follow if you want to have a good 2018.

Bad things will happen in the next 12 months. That can’t be avoided. But while you’ll have to deal with those things, you can look out for the good, too.

Whether you have a good year is, in many ways, down to you.

If you look for uplifting things in life, you’ll find them.

Take heart from them, use them to boost your mood, use them to bring a smile to your face.

If you let all the bad stuff get you down, then this new year might be one that weighs heavily on you.

But if you let the good things raise you up, then the view from on high will be a lot better.

Everywhere you look, there is something to smile about.

You have a lot to be thankful for. You live in a beautiful country with a rich history and a lot of really nice people. Be proud of that.

You are a lucky person to have all this. Raise a glass to your good fortune, treasure your family, friends and neighbours, past and present.

Take all the joy you can from the great things happening all around.

This is a great place to live and these are exciting times.

As Rabbie Burns said: “Wha’s like us?”