For a lot of people, with the start of each new year comes the hope that things will be better. Many of us make New Year’s resolutions. We promise ourselves that “This is the year.”

The year 2020 was a tough one for me. But not for the reasons you might think. While I fully appreciate and sympathize that many people’s lives were derailed and thrown off kilter by the COVID-19 pandemic, my life went haywire due to the cause and effect of events from my past.

From a health perspective, my body hasn’t been the same since my one-car accident on Feb. 17, 2018. The seriousness of my injuries fell just short of being life-threatening. I will never forget what my hip surgeon told me on the 18th and final day I was in the hospital. “Half of the people with your type of injuries never make it into the hospital.”

His words smacked me upside the head and caused me to rethink how I approached my life.

It’s hard to live each day as having more purpose than the last. Things happen. Our cars break down when we least expect it. A home appliance goes caput at a most inopportune time. Our bosses throw unexpected assignments at us that interrupt the natural flow. When things are out of balance, we sometimes say unkind things to people — even those closest to us that we love the most — and wonder what prompted that type of behavior on our part.

And then there is the heartache of losing close friends and family members to death, or even the fallout from divorce. Those of us who have gone through a breakup have had to endure years of pain. It is the gift that keeps on giving.

Instead of deciding to make serious changes to your life on Jan. 1, and likely failing to live up to those standards by Jan. 8, set a goal of being the best you can be every minute of every day. That includes making better diet choices, taking better care of your body with consistent exercise, keeping a tidy home, taking more time to play with your children and pets, and being an all-around kinder, nicer and gentler person.

As for me, I plan to have another surgery on my right hip on Jan. 6. My doctor has described this next operation as being a “salvage surgery.” My hip has undergone so much trauma from three previous surgeries, and nearly three years of it deteriorating, that this might be the last chance to get things right so I can — hopefully — live a pain-free life. I still have a lot of baseball, golf and hiking left in these old bones.

I had major back surgery in October and I am healing well.

I can’t do anything to change my past. I want peace and understanding going forward. I am not sure I can have both. But I do know that those days of beating myself up over my failures and inadequacies are gone.

All of us, at one time or another, have had many roles and titles. We might be sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, aunts, uncles, employees, coworkers, friends and neighbors. All of them are important and the way we conduct ourselves in each role has an impact on everyone around us.

I am a father, grandfather, son and pet owner among my many roles. To my family and wonderful dog, Lacey, I love you all more than words can describe. You are the apples of my eye and the reasons I strive to live the best life I can while I serve and honor God. When I think of you I recall 1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Recently, a friend made a simple, yet profound, uplifting statement to me: ‘Life is good … but living is oh so much better!’

It’s not always easy to be happy when life is tough, but we are called to be joyful and give thanks in spite of our circumstances. My New Year’s wish for all of you that you seize each moment and take captive every breath you breathe.

Danny Summers has been covering sports at all levels in the Pikes Peak region since 2001. Send your story ideas and feedback to danny.summers@pikespeaknewspapers.com.

For a lot of people, with the start of each new year comes the hope that things will be better. Many of us make New Year’s resolutions. We promise ourselves that “This is the year.”

The year 2020 was a tough one for me. But not for the reasons you might think. While I fully appreciate and sympathize that many people’s lives were derailed and thrown off kilter by the COVID-19 pandemic, my life went haywire due to the cause and effect of events from my past.

From a health perspective, my body hasn’t been the same since my one-car accident on Feb. 17, 2018. The seriousness of my injuries fell just short of being life-threatening. I will never forget what my hip surgeon told me on the 18th and final day I was in the hospital. “Half of the people with your type of injuries never make it into the hospital.”

His words smacked me upside the head and caused me to rethink how I approached my life.

It’s hard to live each day as having more purpose than the last. Things happen. Our cars break down when we least expect it. A home appliance goes caput at a most inopportune time. Our bosses throw unexpected assignments at us that interrupt the natural flow. When things are out of balance, we sometimes say unkind things to people — even those closest to us that we love the most — and wonder what prompted that type of behavior on our part.

And then there is the heartache of losing close friends and family members to death, or even the fallout from divorce. Those of us who have gone through a breakup have had to endure years of pain. It is the gift that keeps on giving.

Instead of deciding to make serious changes to your life on Jan. 1, and likely failing to live up to those standards by Jan. 8, set a goal of being the best you can be every minute of every day. That includes making better diet choices, taking better care of your body with consistent exercise, keeping a tidy home, taking more time to play with your children and pets, and being an all-around kinder, nicer and gentler person.

As for me, I plan to have another surgery on my right hip on Jan. 6. My doctor has described this next operation as being a “salvage surgery.” My hip has undergone so much trauma from three previous surgeries, and nearly three years of it deteriorating, that this might be the last chance to get things right so I can — hopefully — live a pain-free life. I still have a lot of baseball, golf and hiking left in these old bones.

I had major back surgery in October and I am healing well.

I can’t do anything to change my past. I want peace and understanding going forward. I am not sure I can have both. But I do know that those days of beating myself up over my failures and inadequacies are gone.

All of us, at one time or another, have had many roles and titles. We might be sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, aunts, uncles, employees, coworkers, friends and neighbors. All of them are important and the way we conduct ourselves in each role has an impact on everyone around us.

I am a father, grandfather, son and pet owner among my many roles. To my family and wonderful dog, Lacey, I love you all more than words can describe. You are the apples of my eye and the reasons I strive to live the best life I can while I serve and honor God. When I think of you I recall 1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Recently, a friend made a simple, yet profound, uplifting statement to me: ‘Life is good … but living is oh so much better!’

It’s not always easy to be happy when life is tough, but we are called to be joyful and give thanks in spite of our circumstances. My New Year’s wish for all of you that you seize each moment and take captive every breath you breathe.

Danny Summers has been covering sports at all levels in the Pikes Peak region since 2001. Send your story ideas and feedback to danny.summers@pikespeaknewspapers.com.

For a lot of people, with the start of each new year comes the hope that things will be better. Many of us make New Year’s resolutions. We promise ourselves that “This is the year.”

The year 2020 was a tough one for me. But not for the reasons you might think. While I fully appreciate and sympathize that many people’s lives were derailed and thrown off kilter by the COVID-19 pandemic, my life went haywire due to the cause and effect of events from my past.

From a health perspective, my body hasn’t been the same since my one-car accident on Feb. 17, 2018. The seriousness of my injuries fell just short of being life-threatening. I will never forget what my hip surgeon told me on the 18th and final day I was in the hospital. “Half of the people with your type of injuries never make it into the hospital.”

His words smacked me upside the head and caused me to rethink how I approached my life.

It’s hard to live each day as having more purpose than the last. Things happen. Our cars break down when we least expect it. A home appliance goes caput at a most inopportune time. Our bosses throw unexpected assignments at us that interrupt the natural flow. When things are out of balance, we sometimes say unkind things to people — even those closest to us that we love the most — and wonder what prompted that type of behavior on our part.

And then there is the heartache of losing close friends and family members to death, or even the fallout from divorce. Those of us who have gone through a breakup have had to endure years of pain. It is the gift that keeps on giving.

Instead of deciding to make serious changes to your life on Jan. 1, and likely failing to live up to those standards by Jan. 8, set a goal of being the best you can be every minute of every day. That includes making better diet choices, taking better care of your body with consistent exercise, keeping a tidy home, taking more time to play with your children and pets, and being an all-around kinder, nicer and gentler person.

As for me, I plan to have another surgery on my right hip on Jan. 6. My doctor has described this next operation as being a “salvage surgery.” My hip has undergone so much trauma from three previous surgeries, and nearly three years of it deteriorating, that this might be the last chance to get things right so I can — hopefully — live a pain-free life. I still have a lot of baseball, golf and hiking left in these old bones.

I had major back surgery in October and I am healing well.

I can’t do anything to change my past. I want peace and understanding going forward. I am not sure I can have both. But I do know that those days of beating myself up over my failures and inadequacies are gone.

All of us, at one time or another, have had many roles and titles. We might be sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, aunts, uncles, employees, coworkers, friends and neighbors. All of them are important and the way we conduct ourselves in each role has an impact on everyone around us.

I am a father, grandfather, son and pet owner among my many roles. To my family and wonderful dog, Lacey, I love you all more than words can describe. You are the apples of my eye and the reasons I strive to live the best life I can while I serve and honor God. When I think of you I recall 1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Recently, a friend made a simple, yet profound, uplifting statement to me: ‘Life is good … but living is oh so much better!’

It’s not always easy to be happy when life is tough, but we are called to be joyful and give thanks in spite of our circumstances. My New Year’s wish for all of you that you seize each moment and take captive every breath you breathe.

Danny Summers has been covering sports at all levels in the Pikes Peak region since 2001. Send your story ideas and feedback to danny.summers@pikespeaknewspapers.com.

For a lot of people, with the start of each new year comes the hope that things will be better. Many of us make New Year’s resolutions. We promise ourselves that “This is the year.”

The year 2020 was a tough one for me. But not for the reasons you might think. While I fully appreciate and sympathize that many people’s lives were derailed and thrown off kilter by the COVID-19 pandemic, my life went haywire due to the cause and effect of events from my past.

From a health perspective, my body hasn’t been the same since my one-car accident on Feb. 17, 2018. The seriousness of my injuries fell just short of being life-threatening. I will never forget what my hip surgeon told me on the 18th and final day I was in the hospital. “Half of the people with your type of injuries never make it into the hospital.”

His words smacked me upside the head and caused me to rethink how I approached my life.

It’s hard to live each day as having more purpose than the last. Things happen. Our cars break down when we least expect it. A home appliance goes caput at a most inopportune time. Our bosses throw unexpected assignments at us that interrupt the natural flow. When things are out of balance, we sometimes say unkind things to people — even those closest to us that we love the most — and wonder what prompted that type of behavior on our part.

And then there is the heartache of losing close friends and family members to death, or even the fallout from divorce. Those of us who have gone through a breakup have had to endure years of pain. It is the gift that keeps on giving.

Instead of deciding to make serious changes to your life on Jan. 1, and likely failing to live up to those standards by Jan. 8, set a goal of being the best you can be every minute of every day. That includes making better diet choices, taking better care of your body with consistent exercise, keeping a tidy home, taking more time to play with your children and pets, and being an all-around kinder, nicer and gentler person.

As for me, I plan to have another surgery on my right hip on Jan. 6. My doctor has described this next operation as being a “salvage surgery.” My hip has undergone so much trauma from three previous surgeries, and nearly three years of it deteriorating, that this might be the last chance to get things right so I can — hopefully — live a pain-free life. I still have a lot of baseball, golf and hiking left in these old bones.

I had major back surgery in October and I am healing well.

I can’t do anything to change my past. I want peace and understanding going forward. I am not sure I can have both. But I do know that those days of beating myself up over my failures and inadequacies are gone.

All of us, at one time or another, have had many roles and titles. We might be sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, aunts, uncles, employees, coworkers, friends and neighbors. All of them are important and the way we conduct ourselves in each role has an impact on everyone around us.

I am a father, grandfather, son and pet owner among my many roles. To my family and wonderful dog, Lacey, I love you all more than words can describe. You are the apples of my eye and the reasons I strive to live the best life I can while I serve and honor God. When I think of you I recall 1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Recently, a friend made a simple, yet profound, uplifting statement to me: ‘Life is good … but living is oh so much better!’

It’s not always easy to be happy when life is tough, but we are called to be joyful and give thanks in spite of our circumstances. My New Year’s wish for all of you that you seize each moment and take captive every breath you breathe.

Danny Summers has been covering sports at all levels in the Pikes Peak region since 2001. Send your story ideas and feedback to danny.summers@pikespeaknewspapers.com.