Warm greetings to all Buckingham folk

For me, part of the joy of the Christmas and New Year season, is that it makes us pause and reflect on the year past and the year to come. We carve another notch in life's walking stick and grow another wrinkle. And as part of this, at this time of year, I always think about how words are so very important to me. In essence they have been my trade as a management consultant and as a politician throughout my careers as both. So a few years ago, I happened upon a fundraising idea (for a charity called 'I Can') that involved 'adopting' a word for a year. The money raised helped children with communication difficulties. But this charity have now ceased this money raising campaign and I have switched my allegiance to a charity called "Clearly Speaking" which works with children local to Buckingham, who also have communication difficulties. (You can find out more about their work here) I will be making a donation to them.

So, towards the end of December, I decide which word to 'adopt' as a background theme for the coming year. I look for a word to guide me over the next twelve months and for a word that makes a statement about something that I think is important for the wider world. This time last year I chose the word 'rapprochement' for 2017 and the word for 2016 was 'dance'.

And for 2018, I have chosen the word 'patience'. Why patience?

It seems to me (and I include myself in this too, of course) that the world right now is in one big almighty hurry, as if time is running out and we all need to get somewhere next, fast! Many people it seems have lost the will to be a little bit patient. We even have the saying "good things come to those who wait" which we all too often ignore. So I have decided I am going to be a bit more patient next year. It is also my plan to prompt others to be a little bit more patient too. Good things will come!

So as we head into Christmas, may I wish you a very merry time with family and friends, where I hope all will be wrapped in love, kindness and peace. And may I hope that you will find 2018 to be a year in which more of your dreams, aspiration and ambitions come true, for you and those who are special to you. And may we all work for a world brimming with bliss, generosity, harmony and understanding.

With the warmest of seasonal greetings

Jon