The future lies before you,
Like newly-fallen snow,
Be careful how you tread in it,
For every step will show.
The piece of advice, from an anonymous source, was a popular “autograph” back in the day when teenaged girls invited their teenaged friends, siblings, teachers and mentors to add words of wisdom, wit and best wishes to their “autograph books.”
The adage is also very pertinent as we enter a new year, especially this year when the snow finally fell just in time to welcome 2012. The world was transformed with a blanket of white, just waiting for young and old to take that initial step into the future.
Most people who made New Year’s resolutions at the stroke of midnight have probably broken them by now, especially if they were the perennial favorites of quitting smoking, quitting drinking, losing weight or getting fit. After all, it rained a good portion of Jan. 1 so who could get out for the walk that was going to kick-start the new fitness regime?  And throwing away those leftover Christmas goodies? Well, that is just plain wrong.
Others among the top 10 are resolves to spend more time with family and friends, enjoy life more, get out of debt, learn something new, help others and to finally, finally get organized at home, at work or both.
It’s good to have goals. It is good to strive for self-improvement. It is good to tread on that newly fallen snow with resolve. But, the most important thing of all is to step into the New Year with optimism and hope and we wish all of our readers an abundance of both.