A new year is upon us (if you are reading this, then the Mayans were wrong). I usually don’t bother with New Year’s resolutions; not that there isn’t room for improvement, but why set myself up for a letdown?

But this year is different. Horrific current events make it so.

This year the holidays descended upon us rapidly, as they always do. There were celebrations, school programs, shopping — and then the dark cloud came. This dark cloud will be remembered much like the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

Do you remember where you were on 9/11? What you were doing when you heard the news?

Do you remember where you were and what you were doing on Dec. 14, 2012? Me too. I’ll never forget it. And that is my resolution. It’s not a New Year’s resolution, but an every year resolution: to never forget those tiny souls taken too soon from their parents and families in Newtown, Conn.

Newtown: a town on the map, now forever associated with unimaginable tragedy.

And the debates rage about gun control, mental health, school security and … and … . Everyone wants to blame someone, something.

But we are all human. We are all flawed; our only hope in the saving grace of God.

Christmas songs came on the radio and after Dec. 14 they could bring tears, weeping, sadness, but also a reminder that there is hope.

Let’s not allow the 26 students’ and teachers’ lives to have been taken in vain. Something good must come of this.

So, let’s be better in their honor. Better parents. Better husbands and wives. Better human beings.

Let’s hold our children a little tighter, be forgiving and show them more kindness.

Not a Christmas season will pass without a reminder of what happened that day. I cannot even begin to fathom what the children went through and what their loved ones continue to feel.

So, in 2013 — and every day/month/year after — I resolve to kiss my children goodnight even if they are already sleeping. I resolve to tell them I love them and make sure they hear me when I send them off to school. I resolve to just try to be a better mom, with the help of God.

And I resolve to never forget the 26 reasons for making these simple, but significant resolutions: Charlotte Bacon, Daniel Barden, Rachel Davino, Olivia Engel, Josephine Gay, Ana M. Marquez-Greene, Dylan Hockley, Dawn Hochsprung, Madeleine F. Hsu, Catherine V. Hubbard, Chase Kowalski, Jesse Lewis, James Mattioli, Grace McDonnell, Anne Marie Murphy, Emilie Parker, Jack Pinto, Noah Pozner, Caroline Previdi, Jessica Rekos, Avielle Richman, Lauren Rousseau, Mary Sherlach, Victoria Soto, Benjamin Wheeler and Allison N. Wyatt.