So, when you woke up this morning, did you feel the kind of excitement a youngster feels on the first day of school? Were you enthused about the opportunities that lie ahead in 2015 and the possibility that this will be the best year ever for your family, the city, the state and the world?

Maybe not.

That kind of optimism is hard to come by these days, but the new year nonetheless offers a reason to reflect and look ahead with hope and a resolve to do what we can to make our world a better place.

It all starts here at home: helping a neighbor, volunteering at a local agency, putting in an honest day’s work, raising our children and mentoring the next generation. Lawrence faces some challenges that should be addressed this year. We need to get our economic development efforts back in gear to help build our tax base and support all the amenities that local residents want. We also need to redouble our efforts to work together as a community and openly tackle issues that threaten to divide us. Change requires communication and compromise.

Education is important to Lawrence, and the funding of both K-12 schools and higher education is a matter of ongoing concern. Education funding is just one of a number of issues that will challenge the governor and state legislators as they begin their work later this month. We urge them to make decisions based on the best interests of the state and its residents. Both compromise and communication may be required.

The world is a pretty uncompromising and dangerous place right now. Various religious and ethnic groups are determined to promote their ideology, often in the most violent way. Their unwillingness to tolerate people with different ideas is one of the world’s great challenges. Even in our own U.S. government, too many officials are more determined to make their political enemies look bad than to consider the compromises that could move the nation forward in key areas.

When did being willing to consider other viewpoints and even moderate your own become a weakness? Aren’t we always stronger when we find a way to stand together?

We know that every one of you will face some personal challenges this year, but we hope you also will experience some personal triumphs and joys. Turning the page on the calendar isn’t a life-changing experience, but it’s the start of a new chapter that we hope will be filled with new and positive experiences and opportunities.

Happy New Year!