As we celebrate the achievement of making it to the end of another year upright in body and mind, I want to thank all of you who have taken the time to read this column that I have had the pleasure of writing since 2008. I hope you have found something worthwhile – at least often enough to keep coming back to see if there are any more helpful ideas left on the grocery shelves.

My intent is to share with you useful information I have discovered about growing older – in good health with grace and confidence; and to also share a few insights I have acquired from the wonderful folks I meet daily who are full of life, gratitude and simple wisdom.

I also hope to offer some encouragement to keep up the good fight, to focus on what you can do and not fret about what you can’t, and to keep active and engaged – as I hope someone will for me when I find the challenges as I get older becoming more frequent and difficult.

We are unique creatures – each one of us different from the other which makes life so wondrous. Life isn’t a 1950’s black and white television sitcom. Life is full of colors and textures. And every person I meet adds to that tapestry – making life fascinating and surprising.

We are all far from perfect and as we hope others will accept our imperfections, we learn to accept the imperfections of others. And yet, knowing we are imperfect, we are still often surprised when someone makes a mistake or is rude or angry. This thought is stated more succinctly by an Eleanor Roosevelt quote which I feel is worth sharing again as we enter a new year.

“A mature person is one who does not think only in absolutes, who is able to be objective even when deeply stirred emotionally, who has learned there is both good and bad in all people and in all things, who walks humbly and deals charitably with the circumstances of life, knowing that in this world no one is all-knowing and therefore all of us need both love and charity.”

So with love and charity, I hope this New Year brings you love, peace of mind and an ample share of happiness.

The Center and Meals-on-Wheels will be closed New Year’s Day, but will be open all day New Year’s Eve. And since New Year’s Eve falls on a Thursday, Meals-on-Wheels will be hosting a special New Year’s Eve Bingo Party – as long as the weather cooperates and I’ll bet you two to one it will. For this special evening the minimum buy-in is $20 which includes dinner and door prizes. If you want to enjoy an evening out and a chance to win some cash this is the place to be. You’ll get back home in plenty of time to usher in the New Year – if you can stay up that late. All the fun starts at 6:00 PM, but if you haven’t played before you should come at least a half hour early to learn the games.

And there is more Bingo excitement at the Center on Saturday Night, January 2nd when you could win $1000 if you blackout on the last game in 58 numbers or less. Doors open at 4:00, concessions available at 4:30 and games start at 6:00.

For the Tuesday Night Music and Dance at the Center on January 5th, Andre, KC and Tom will be performing. Music starts at 6:30, everyone is welcome and donations are always appreciated.

The prize Ralphie’s dad won in the holiday movie classic A Christmas Story was a lamp shaped like a leg wearing a fishnet stocking. (The winner of a free quilt raffle ticket is Bill Van Nice.)

Before he became the anchor of the CBS Evening News, earning the reputation as “the most trusted man in America”, Walter Cronkite hosted several shows including an historical educational television series where CBS reporters would report on the dramatic reenactment of a historical event. What was the name of the show? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or mail it with the episode when Paul Newman played Marcus Brutus in “The Assassination of Julius Caesar”.

Well, it’s been another week appreciating the past, celebrating the present and looking forward to the New Year. Until we meet again, don’t turn off the lights and shut the door too soon.

“As you slide down the banisters of life, may the splinters never point the wrong way.” Irish Toast