I grew up in a big city with a bus stop and a subway station right at the corner. No need for a car to get around town; but transportation is another matter today. Now living in the suburbs, my auto is indispensable. Bus routes are limited and stops are usually distant from suburban homes. Newer rapid transit still requires means of access.

While our teenage grandchildren yearn to acquire that coveted driver's license, we oldsters cling to our auto independence as long as possible. We are careful drivers ... accounting for fewer accidents than those teens, but we know our driving days are numbered.

Those of us who start the new year with lists of resolutions should make the mirror #1. To see what is there and what isn't. To see what makes us think, 'What the f**k?' and to also see what gives us strength and what soothes us.