A Cheerful Thought to Begin the New Year

I resolved to think of a cheerful thought to begin the new year. One could make a heartening list of good developments, inspiring examples, and favorable portents for 2022, though I’m not sure their aggregate mass would surpass that of the potential apocalypses hovering barely over the horizon. The most cheerful thought that comes to me at the moment is that you can handle all manner of situations much better if you have the right state of mind. I know that because, even though my basic situation, being 90 years-old, isn’t as favorable as it was decades ago, I’m feeling anxiety-free, more self-confident, and more relaxed than I did decades ago because my state of mind improved. I think most people would be happier and more clear-headed if they could develop a better state of mind. I don’t presume to advise anyone on how to bring that about. I describe how it happened to me in “The View from Ninety,” accessible on this website.