Here we are again, standing on the cusp of another year, ready to take the plunge into the unknown. Will it be a terrifying, uncontrolled free fall or a leisurely, floating descent? That remains to be seen. Even though we don’t possess a magical crystal ball to reveal the future, would you want one? Isn’t it the unpredictability that makes life an adventure — a journey into the unknown?

That’s not to say we shouldn’t plan or work to avoid harm and pitfalls. But isn’t there something exhilarating about that feeling of excitement and freedom right as we leap into a new year? Perhaps this is due in part to the fact that we are given a fresh start, a new beginning with endless possibilities. Our failures fade into the rearview.

I can’t help but picture myself as a preteen, standing on the high dive at Kish Park back in the early 1970s, peering down at the water below. I was terrified-it was a long way down. Why had I agreed to this? The logical answer was peer pressure since all my friends were jumping, and thus I was determined to jump, too. My inner dialogue assured me I could conquer my fear and emerge from this death-defying leap unscathed.

I paused to take in the view from my perch — a bird’s eye panorama of the park. It took several minutes to muster the courage, and I’m sure those waiting behind me on the ladder were growing impatient. Finally, I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and jumped.

The exhilaration was unforgettable: the rush of air as the water drew closer, the weightlessness of the fall, and then the splash. I was hooked. I scrambled out of the water and back in line for another turn on the high dive.

I imagine this is how skydivers feel as they step out of a plane. Fear mingles with a sense of freedom as they soar through the skies, taking in breathtaking views. Is there a chance of danger? Absolutely. But ask any skydiver, and they’ll tell you the reward is worth the risk.

And that’s the point: stepping into a brand-new year is frightening, yes — but it’s also invigorating.

There are wonderful people yet to meet, trails to explore, and mountains to climb. There are games to cheer, books to read, and recipes waiting to be tried. Will every experience be happy? Likely not. But the hardships and struggles make the moments of joy and triumph all the more valuable and precious.

This new year will bring friends who need encouragement, family members who need patience and understanding, and those who are hurting and who need a shoulder to cry on. There will be community organizations in need of volunteers and causes that need voices.

We must be ready to embrace and persevere through everything the year offers — good and bad. The years pile up quickly, and there’s no time this feels more apparent than at the beginning of a new one, especially as we grow older.

Let’s not let a single moment slip by. Let’s see this year as more than a collection of cliché resolutions, let’s seize it as an opportunity to dream boldly and act decisively. Plan that trip you have only dreamed of, learn that second language, pursue that degree you have always wanted, or fulfill your desire to get more involved in your community. Aspire to become the very best version of yourself – bold, inspired, and unapologetically, you.

As C.S. Lewis so eloquently reminds us, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

So, here’s to the leap into 2025 — make it an adventure worth taking.

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Rhonda S. Kelley is the executive director of the Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce.