The Last One Of 2021

I post the Foo Fighters' version of This Will Be Our Year to end 2021 because I think we all need something to which we can look forward. It has been a tough, tough year for everyone - not just hockey - and there are still darker days to face as the pandemic continues. The key, for me, has been to remember that each day brings forth the same opportunity for positivity despite all the things trying to bring me down and hold me down in the darkness.

I would be remiss if I didn't use this opportunity to encourage everyone to get vaccinated whether it be for the first time, the second time, or the ongoing booster shots. There's no sense in complaining about this as the science over the last two years of battling this panedmic is unquestionably concrete in that those who are vaccinated see milder symptoms, experience less time in hospitals, and avoid serious illness and/or death more often. 2022 should be the year where you can do the simplest of things by getting vaccinated in helping you remain safer than what may happen if you're not vaccinated. Get your shot, folks.

We should also be cognizant of the toll the pandemic has taken on our mental health as much as it has affected people physically. We often forget that good mental health is a vital component to a healthy society, so 2022 should be the year where we start really focusing on and improving our mental health in everyone.

2022 can be one of the best years in history if we follow a simply recipe that includes some hope, a dash of adventure, a heaping spoonful of smiles, a touch of sunlight, a cup of cautious optimism, lots of thanks, a helping of both friends and family, and an abundance of fun. Let's not sweat the small stuff and let's not complain about rules or policies. Instead, let's make lemonade out of the lemons that 2021 kept dumping on us because we all can use a little sweetness in our lives this year.

All the best to you and yours on this New Year's Eve, and here's to a great start in 2022 when the clock strikes midnight! That will be moments from now, so I bid you adieu as I prepare for the calendar to flip to the new year! Give the song above a chance to play out because this will be our year in 2022. And yes, it took a long time to come, but it's here and it's ours to make into something special!

Happy New Year, folks!