One year ended and a new one has just begun. What will I do with this New Year, this fresh start? How shall I make the most of it? Will I make some of the same mistakes I made last year? Have I learned anything from those mistakes? Someone once said that there are no mistakes only opportunities to learn something new.

Life and Death. For us death is the end of our earthly lives and a new beginning of eternal life hereafter. That is a very comforting thought. With preparation in this life we can be ready for the new life that lies ahead for us. It is always sad when we have to say goodbye to someone we love dearly and even more so when that goodbye is to someone who has left this earthly life. The other side of that coin for us is the belief that we will once again be together.

This past month we have had to say our farewells to two dearly loved people who have graced our lives with their presence. While it has been tough at times, we continue to live our lives in the hope of rising again in a life that we can only imagine.

This past year have I done things that I regret? Oh, yes, very much so. And at the same time I can look back at 1997 and say happily that there were many times when I was pleased with what I had done. How often did I unwittingly cause pain to some one else? And how often did I also consciously go out of my way to make some one happy? These are the sorts of questions we ask ourselves at the beginning of a New Year. This is a time for soul searching and reflection. It is a time for new resolve to do better. Let us reach out to one another with a fresh look on our lives as community. Let us be gentle with one another and patient in times of frustration. Let us be the support to each other that we all need. Let us be to each other what we would want others to be to us. Never doubt that you have something to offer. And don't be afraid to make mistakes, for mistakes can lead to a deeper understanding of ourselves. Let this be our guide in 1998:

"Love one another as I have loved you."