The storyteller, Tom T. Hall, wrote a song entitled “That Song is Driving Me Crazy.” It’s about a song that gets stuck in his head.

I don’t know if a song can drive you crazy, but songs do get stuck in my head. For the past month, I have had a few songs that seemed to stay with me for a day or two at the time. Songs like “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” would begin my day and rattle around in my cranium all day long. There was nothing else up there to get in its way.

This morning, about a week before turning from an old year to a new one, “Auld Lang Syne” is my companion. It’s the favorite song of New Year’s Eve and what’s bothering me is that New Year’s Eve is still almost a week away. You don’t suppose I’ll be walking around for a week singing, “Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?” Actually, those are the only words I remember.

By this time next week, it will be 2018. I wonder how long it will take me to NOT write that year on my checks. Of course, not too many people use checks anymore and there is no place to write 2017 on a debit card transaction. Looking on the bright side, that’s one less mistake to make next year.

We sort of wear out this phrase, but my how the year has flown! As a kid, it seemed to take eons for Christmas to get here, but now, it seems that we’ve just sent Valentine cards and, then, it’s time to send out Christmas cards. One of the great businesses has to be the printing of calendars. There is always the need for a new one and somewhere some business is already thinking about 2019.

But first, let’s give due to what the song, “Auld Lang Syne” brings to mind. “Days gone by” is one translation of the title. For days gone by let’s stop and appreciate. To appreciate is to be grateful. Just as we can be thankful for the good times, we can also acknowledge the solemn.

Not every year is filled with mountain-top experiences. There are potholes along the way and thinking about a past year is complete only when we consider the good and the bad. I hope your 2017 had more good than bad

So far, I can say that on every day of 2017, I awakened. As they say, that’s better than the alternative. Plus, every month, I was able to pay the due bills. I enjoyed my work this year and could have done better, but the people with whom I work were gracious enough to accept me “warts and all.” Plenty of warts!

My “Better Half” continues to be my better half. Donna Sue is a blessing every year and this past one was no different. In addition, my daughter and family in Syracuse, NY added to my good year. By the way, for all of you who might think that we are having a cold snap, the high today in my daughter’s town is 12 degrees and their high won’t get into the twenties until January 6th when it rises to a balmy 23!

As I said, we are thankful for the good and accept the not-so-good with understanding. This New Year will be the first complete year of my life without my Daddy, who died in October, 2017. Our lives are different, but we are still blessed and looking forward to 2018. Happy New Year, friends.