I hope everyone had a safe and happy New Year’s!  I kept seeing and hearing good riddance to 2016 due to the collective depression we felt whether from the election, various celebrity deaths or from the constant stream of human suffering from Syria, Burma, etc. I realized that a lot of these issues were out of my control. What was in my control was the ability to be optimistic and to see that I had a lot to be grateful for. It helped that our family had a happy jar from 2016 and we were able to go through it and remind ourselves of all the awesome adventures we were blessed to go on this past year. I tried kayaking and camping for the first time and survived both. We have to remember that we cannot predict the future. Even when life seems bleak and boring, the next page might be turned or a new chapter will reveal a whole new dimension that we could never have imagined for ourselves. Our job is to keep reading and telling the story. I hope your 2017 story is full of wonderful new beginnings.