The grocery store was nuts yesterday.

We’re talking lines so long it was difficult to find the end. Most people seemed polite and happy to wait their turn which was good because there were just two cashiers. The self checkout line was also long as people were buying carts full of groceries and most of us civilians aren’t nearly as efficient as the average cashier/bagger combo.

My cashier was a young man, perhaps college aged, who indicated it had been a zoo all afternoon. When I asked why, we talked about the impending holiday and he said something truly profound. “People get all uptight and rude around Christmas but it seems like people try harder around New Years. They are gonna eat better or do things to reinvent themselves. Everyone tries to be a better person around New Years.”

He’s absolutely right.

Personally, I believe every day is an opportunity for a fresh start. Waiting till January to start doing better seems silly to me but I do understand the appeal of that fresh slate provided by a new year.

That said, I have been plotting some improvements in my own life and have a handful of goals to work on in the first quarter of this year.

My only wish is that everyone would always try a little harder to be better people. After all, it was refreshing to see people getting along and to hear the friendly, casual conversations among strangers. The lady in line behind me even offered to watch my cart while I ran for a gift card.

Speaking of nice people, I had superb lunch service at Los Mariachis and encountered a super kind employee at Lowe’s who helped me locate something I would have never found on my own. The picture above represents my favorite purchase of the day – this vintage style light up ceramic snowman. He was 75 percent off and a conversation starter everywhere I went in the store.

By the way, one of my goals for the next few months is to curb spending by doing a No Spend Challenge. Sigh. I guess I’ll be starting January 1!