The reason I never make New Year’s Resolutions is that I cannot deal with the stress of inevitable failure. Sure . . . I’d love to lose ten or fifteen pounds, and I’d love to swear off Black Jack Cherry ice cream for the rest of my life, but I know these things are never going to happen so why set myself up for disappointment. The same applies to starting a conscientious exercise program, plans to eat nothing but healthy foods, or never to gossip again.

You see, the way I look at things, my life is pretty perfect as it is; cellulite, wrinkles, thinning hair, creaky joints, and all. Boomers have let a lot of water run under that old bridge to get to the point we’re at now. We’ve worked hard, made our share of mistakes, got lucky at times, and grew in character as a result. Retirement is our reward.

If you don’t make New Year’s Resolutions, you can’t break them. Instead, I celebrate each January first with a huge measure of gratitude for what I’ve accomplished and the rewards I enjoy every single day of the days I have left. These include but are not limited to:

1. I’m alive. I am seventy-four years old and still alive. Many of my friends and family did not make it this far.
2. I’m retired. Every day is Saturday, my reward for all those years of working for someone else. I’m finally the boss of me.
3. I am surrounded by a circle of loving and loveable friends and extended family.
4. My new hip replacements work almost perfectly and allow me to leap over tall buildings in a single bound. . . well, in my dreams. And, thanks to Canada’s universal health care, I didn’t have to mortgage my house to pay for them. They were “free” thanks to our inclusive tax system.
5. They weren’t kidding about getting older and wiser. Although I’m somewhat more forgetful these days, most of life’s lessons and mistakes are behind me.
6. My eyesight is still relatively good so I can read books all day, every day, if I choose. Good health is not to be taken for granted at our age.
7. I share my life with a wonderful husband and the world’s cuddliest, cutest tiny Yorkie.
8. My fridge and pantry are always well-stocked and I do not have to worry about where my next meal is coming from or paying my bills.
9. My parents set me off on the right foot by raising me with proper values and those values stuck.
10. I view my life as pretty darned perfect and for that, I am truly thankful, not just at the start of the new year, but every single day of my life.

The last couple of years have been a challenge for everyone, but as Canadians, we were not at war, had bombs dropped on us or been forced from our homes and country. We live in a benevolent country that takes of its fellow citizens.

As we chalk up another year, it is a time to reflect on the journey we’ve made over the decades. There is no way I would ever want to be young again. We’ve earned all the blessings we enjoy now and being able to start a new year in a circle of love and gratitude is all we need to carry on. So, this year, instead of making a list of New Year’s resolutions which will only serve to remind you of your faults and shortcomings, celebrate your blessings with a gratitude list. Happy New Year mes très chères.