Another Christmas is behind us, with all of its warm memories tucked away with cherished ornaments, to be resurrected during Christmases yet to come. It's time to move on toward the promise and potential of a new year.

Funny thing about the New Year. For centuries it was celebrated in March, near the vernal equinox. Then, a few hundred years ago, the calendar was deemed seriously askew and in need of recalibration. Voila! The New Year began in January, near the winter solstice. That's how October became the tenth month even though "oct" clearly indicates that it is the eighth. The same applies to the Latin roots of September, November and December. However it got there and whenever it's celebrated, the New Year is a time to begin again, take another tack, reflect on your current direction and take stock.

Resolutions, respected for the duration or quickly abandoned, are as traditional to the New Year as Santa is to Christmas and the turkey is to Thanksgiving.

Nationally, 2005 will be a challenge, with the horror of Iraq, our economy perilously challenged by a reckless and unprecedented deficit and a fragile environment assaulted with outrageous exploitation and squandering of resources.

Taken in that context, it's overwhelming for a lone citizen. However, on the smaller stage that is Otsego County, there are steps we can all take that can collectively make a difference in the quality of our daily lives.

WALK: This simple habit, adopted for a lifetime, will go far in maintaining a lifetime of health. It benefits body, mind, soul and community. Do it in town for the socializing that comes with it and for the errands and shopping you get done. Do it in the country for the birds, the fresh air and the general communing with nature. Walk your kids to school so they learn that everyday doesn't have to begin with a fume-filled, stress-inducing traffic gridlock. Bicycling counts, too.

ESTABLISH WALKABLE COMMUNITIES: As much as the spirit may be willing, we still have to have the environment that encourages good health.

Walking and biking trails connecting our towns and villages are crucial to Otsego County. "Smart growth," recommended by the New York State departments of health and transportation, is the key to our economic and aesthetic well-being. That means sidewalks, shared-use roads, effective public transportation and parks, all with an emphasis on safety. In short, "anti-sprawl."

Brenda Berstler is the founder of the Walking Example Group (WE-GO) a non-profit organization encouraging walking and walkable communities. Visit their website at www.we-go.org.