It can only get better

You can almost hear the collective sigh wafting from households across the Exploits Valley, "whoa, thank goodness that is over."

Yes, 2009 was not a stellar year in the history of this region.

The mill closure will be talked about for years and the effects of the hundreds of job losses have not yet been felt.

The provincial government's subsequent and ongoing attempts to negate any impact the loss of the largest industry in the area, while good intentioned, may not be enough. And apparently, there is no adjacency clause when it comes to hydropower from the Exploits River.

Once the government-paid severance and employment insurance has dried up, we will begin to feel the real results of the loss of AbitibiBowater.

We had another Salmon Festival that cost us money instead of ending in the black.

While it can be said the net result of the event ultimately brings dollars into the local economy, that provides no solace to those taxpayers who are told they helped pay the wages of entertainers they have never heard of and will more than likely never see again.

As we were faced with these hurdles, property taxes climbed, the cost of living got higher and a down payment on a new ATV was less than filling it with a tank of gas and a flu fit for a pig scared the daylights out of us.

But a new year is upon us.

Positive thoughts bring positive results, they say.

Maybe it will be a good year for cranberries and the growing process will speed up. There will a few dozen more jobs in the neighbourhood then.

Perhaps global warming will do a complete turn around and the planet will begin to enter a deep-freeze. The 20 positions from the home heating rebate might then be year round and maybe even grow by another dozen.

Or, if we all will it to happen, someone might decide there is another wood fibre product that can be manufactured in our backyard and the gang at Nalcor will let them have a bit of a deal on power.

After all, the outlook is not all bad for us.

We still live in one of the most beautiful areas of the province, with opportunity around every corner.

Those opportunities must be taken advantage of, though.

It is no good to rely on governments, be they municipal, provincial or federal, to create success. Nor can we sit back and wait for someone on a white horse to ride in and save us from despair and ruin. If we look over our shoulders in anticipation of a huge international corporation to be our saviour, then all we will get is a sore neck.

No, there is some power in being positive. There is even more power in doing it for ourselves.

So, as we start another year, let's hope that in 365 days we can look back and say, "gee, I'd like to relive that one over and over."

Here's to a happy, healthy and successful 2010.