IFTTT Autopost 
Well, here we are on the last day of the calendar year, a perfect time to reflect on how this year has gone for us.
In nursing and many other professions, we continually hear the term “evidence-based” this or that. “Evidence-based” refers to scientific documentation for what we claim is good. In other words, just because someone says that something is helpful, that doesn’t make it true. Rather, we need to know what the research shows. Does it back up that claim? So, it is not sufficient to say, for example, that if patients listen to their favorite music right before surgery will increase their postoperative recovery time. The nurse-researcher must show that this idea is supported by the data generated from scientific methods.
Similarly, in our spiritual lives, we need data to back up our claims. So, if we examine our lives for this past year in terms of our growth in virtues, and we claim we are more virtuous, what evidence-based data do we have to back up that claim? For example, if we say we have grown in generosity, what are the data to support this? Have we increased our tithing to the church? Have we increased our giving to charitable organizations? Have we volunteered our time to worthwhile causes?
On the last day of the year, many people also like to evaluate how they did with the New Year’s resolutions they made at the beginning of the year. In my case, I made only one resolution, and that was to write a nursing memoir. However, during the year, I decided to change this resolution. So, instead of doing a nursing memoir this year, I decided to put together a book of short biographies of the men and women whom I have labeled as “Missionary Heroes” in the Friday blogs of 2020. I did not accomplish that, but I am working on it. Then, I plan on doing a book of “Missionary Heroes” for each year the blog exists. As for the nursing memoir, that is for a later date.
As we get ready for New Year, let’s remember to take time to thank God for the blessings of the year, and the graces to make next year the very best one ever!
