Mayor's Message

When the clock struck midnight on December 31, besides celebrating the New Year, many of us had probably given thought to things we would like to achieve in 2023, while working to eliminate those behaviors which we saw as negative elements of our lives. While many probably make a list of these “resolutions,” most of us simply gave thought to making changes to our behavior, our relationships, our health or our professional lives.

Several days from now, we will be saying goodbye to the year 2022 and welcoming our new year, 2023. As we approach this transition it will be, in many respects, a result of how we view our lives and the world around us. Some will look at the future as a continuation of the past, while others will view it as a fresh new start; an opportunity to select a new path, “full of things that never were.”
 

Over the next several days, we will be drawn together by the bonds of family and friendships. Some of these individuals will only touch our lives briefly, while others will travel with us throughout our life journey. As you gather together this holiday season, give thought to those individuals who surround you and the impact they have on your happiness and your success. 

The holiday season is a time when I find myself reflecting on past year’s celebrations, and those individuals who were key to the beautiful memories I have of holidays past. While to many this will seem nostalgic, it is in reminiscing that I gain a great appreciation for those who touched my life, and provided me with beautiful memories of Christmases past.

Last evening, I was looking for something to watch when I came across a segment featuring Jimmy Valvano, the late basketball coach and founder of the “Jimmy V Foundation.” The segment included a speech he gave after receiving the Arthur Ashe Award, and came two months before his life was taken by cancer.