By Carina A. Brunson

Last week I asked readers about their New Year’s Resolutions. I wanted to know if any of our readers still make New Year’s resolutions – and if they do, if they wouldn’t mind sharing some of what they hope for the new year coming.

Here is one of the responses I received:

“To answer your question on the front page of the December 26 newspaper, ''Do you make a NewYear's resolution?'' This question made me realize that when I was young it was a very present custom.

Now that I'm 81, I realize that this custom seems to have died out.

This year the resolution I decided to choose is this: Have more contact with my seven grandchildren. Since I live far away from them, I will call them more often and since I have their email address, I will communicate with them more often because I love them so much.

This custom must absolutely continue to be perpetuated because it helps to make us a better person.

Nicole Roy Langelier, Québec, Canada”

I love what Nicole shared. She pointed out how it is something that we should continue because it makes us better. It makes us set goals to be better people – whether in health, habits, or otherwise – we always seem to set resolutions that are to better ourselves.

New Year’s Resolutions has a few origins. One origin is from 4,000 years ago in Mesopotamia, when life revolved around agrictulure. According to www.becauseisaidiwould.org, ‘Citizens would make promises to the gods for the new year and use this as a moment to return borrowed tools, supplies and equipment. If you kept the promise to the gods, it was said that good fortune would fall upon you.’

Another origin is in 46 BC when Julius Caesar established January 1 as the beginning of the year, the Julian Calendar. January comes from the god Janus, says the website, the god of new beginnings.

However it came to be, and for whatever reason you decide to set a New Year’s Resolution, the thought remains the same, that January 1 is a new year, a time to set new goals, a time to refresh.