We are occasionally rewarded with and witness tiny miracles: the release of the last of summer’s leaves, pattering down to the ground in a breeze on a crisp, cold morning; running water in a brooklet crafted into ice sculptures by nature’s hand; the overhead passage of an owl on silent wing, heralded only by shadow.

At the brink of a new year, we take measure of the days behind us and wonder at those yet to come. How easy to reflect on what we know: who has come and gone, what has impacted our lives, where we have been. Predicting the future is — unless gifted with unusual insight — impossible.

We do set goals for ourselves this time of year, based on what we have learned from the past. We hope and we believe that what lies before us is in our control. And yet… and yet…

Lessons learned can go only so far. Every day is a new beginning with an ending fashioned from our experiences and how we apply them to the moment; we must do with what is given us at any time. Some events will be inconsequential, others will be monumental. We seek the predictable in the unpredictable.

The desire to press onward motivates our thoughts and actions in ways that lead us from one transforming moment to the next. The need to continue forward in a positive manner compels us to find answers to the questions that arise every day, every week, every month of the year. It is in this quest that we can miss the little moments that bring us peace, and sometimes, wisdom. There is so much to the big picture of life, that we can easily be overwhelmed.

To slow down and notice the miniscule moments, the smallest change, the quietest event that can bring us enlightenment and strength to move into the new year is a gift we often hesitate to give ourselves.

The tiny miracles add up, though, when we learn to recognize them. The sum becomes a stepping stone of hope leading from one year to the next.

We believe that we can move mountains. But when the strength to do so becomes a challenge, it is good to pause and take note of the miracles strewn on the pathway and let them lift you beyond your perceived capabilities.

It is only as a year winds down that we ponder what truths we have learned. Reflecting on the positive events of the past 365 days makes it possible to move forward in a rewarding manner. The negative events are lessons learned, not to be ignored, but not ones to rule the future.

In this new year, reward yourself in the smallest ways that can make a big difference. Make one resolution a priority: to see, hear, and feel the tiny miracles stirring all around us and to see the miracle in every person we encounter.

We wish you a Happy New Year, and one of many miracles.