The end of the year offers us the opportunity to reflect on the events of the past 12 months and how they have affected our lives. At the same time, we can look forward to a new year full of new hopes and ambitions. As we make our New Year’s resolutions, we affirm our belief we can make our lives and the world around us better through self-improvement and community involvement. The holiday season reminds us of the qualities that are so important to us all — those of faith, humility and goodwill to our neighbors.

The year 2021 will long be remembered as a year of struggle. As summer approached, earlier this year, we started to see a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. Then, all at once, it seemed the pandemic was starting over. We continue to see the pictures and video of Americans wearing masks, images of tired nurses in overcrowded hospitals attending to a large number of people stricken with a virus that continues to dominate our lives. The history books will paint the picture for future generations to learn. Before then, we will always remember the year that brought us together in ways we had not known before.

Before we turn the page on 2021, take this opportunity to consider your priorities for the upcoming year. Whether you would like to eat healthier, exercise more, spend more time with family or just complete a project that remains unfinished, now is the time to set resolutions for the future. Making concrete goals is a good way to encourage oneself to follow through. As the calendar advances, you can also move yourself forward.

As always, please feel free to call, email or write with your ideas or concerns. My Capitol office number is (573) 751-1415, my email is dan.hegeman@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is Room 332, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.