It’s a new year. A fresh start.

That sentiment gives most people a renewed sense of hope.

“This year will be better. This year I will (insert 100 goals).”

I have enough life experience under my belt to have learned that making New Year’s Resolutions usually doesn’t work.

While I could have a long list of things I should stop doing or start doing, I stopped making resolutions years ago because I just wound up feeling like I failed at something when I couldn’t accomplish the task.

I may change that this year, which is ironic in itself, because for 2018 I’d like to be able to accept changes in my life more easily.

Should be a pretty reachable goal because no matter what we do, change happens. Every day.

Kids grow taller. We grow older. Parents grow old.

Technology changes just as rapidly today. What is it up to now – iPhone20? Windows 3000?

I’ve had some pretty big changes in my life, as most of us have, and even when it’s a change for the worse, I’ve eventually managed to accept it in most cases. I just think I need a little work on accepting it with more grace or finesse at times.

This Christmas, for the first time since they were born, I had to share my granddaughter’s with their father’s family.

When my daughter told me she’d see me around 4 p.m. on Christmas Day, I admit, I threw a decently sized temper tantrum.

On Thanksgiving, a couple of my children talked about having something other than turkey for dinner.

I asked if they were insane.

The poor lady on the phone got an earful from me when I called about a payment I made on a credit card and she informed me they changed their policy and now payments made with a checking account could take up to 10 days to post.

I probably could have handled that phone call a bit better. Poor woman.

Recently, a young waiter fell all over himself to apologize when I was clearly distressed that my favorite dish was removed from the menu.

Oxford is changing almost daily, as well. New roads. New businesses. New developments. I don’t drive on one side of town for a month or so and the next time I do, it’s like driving down a road I’ve never seen before.

But there are good changes, too. So in 2018, I resolve to see each change as a good change – something new and exciting, or a new challenge to face and overcome.

Except the whole sharing of the grandkids thing on holidays. That one may take a while.

Happy New Year, Oxford.