I’m a GP in Canada, and I’ve seen the pandemic worsen mental health and fuel drug and alcohol use. This is on top of the ‘usual’ anguish of grief, depression, anxiety, and loneliness.

So I wrote this letter to everyone who’s facing these challenges.

3 New year wishes from a GP

There’s a thrill and a scare to New Year’s eve.

The thrill is in the belief of what’s to come.

The scare is in realizing a chunk of time has gone. The gig doesn’t go on forever.

It’s a wish for physical well-being.

This doesn’t mean having a perfect body.

It doesn’t mean being young.

It’s a wish for the ability to adjust to what life delivers and maintain dignity.

It’s a wish for psychological well-being.

This doesn’t mean not knowing what it is to suffer.

It doesn’t mean not having known mental illness, addiction, or loss—these are what define humanity.

It’s a wish for being at peace with who you are and with life’s many catastrophes.

It’s a wish for the ability to ACHIEVE these states of physical and mental well-being regardless of their limitations.

You can’t buy this stuff on Amazon. It’s not for sale at the mall.

These are the gifts of sleep, of exercise, and of having — and enjoying — good food.

And finally, it’s a wish to never take for granted the family, friends, and community — no matter how few and no matter how small — that give life its meaning.

None of these wishes were lessons learned in medical school.

They were taught to me by people who’d known suffering and in spite of that seeked out meaning and never lost the ability to love and be loved.

They learned — and sometimes a bit late — that every day is its own New Year’s eve.

Wishing everyone happy holidays and warmth.