Two days from now, we’ll all officially close the 2013 chapter in our history books and begin a new year.

As the year draws to a close, it’s human nature to reflect on the past 12 months and consider the things that have occurred in our community during that time.

It’s easy to pause and ask, “Was it a good year or a bad year?”

Truth is, it was both.

The year was, as many are, filled with a number of tragedies and the loss of many local residents who contributed through the years to the fabric of the Miss-Lou.

But rather than dwell on what was lost, we’d prefer to look at the tragedy and see what can be learned from it. Often, the lesson for us may be in how we react to tragedy and loss.

The residents of nearby St. Joseph, La., experienced a horrible tragedy earlier this year after a gunman took three bank workers hostage, ultimately killing two of them. The loss was devastating to all families involved. But many of those who knew the victims focused not on their deaths, but instead on the positive impact they had on others while they were alive. The small town of St. Joseph proved to the world that with a common bond of togetherness and a faith in a higher power, nothing can keep a good community down.

That same spirit of community was seen — albeit under much happier circumstances — as Natchez welcomed a film crew to the city. We’ve often said that once people come to Natchez, it sort of grows on them, and the place takes on a special place in their hearts. We hope that happens with all of the folks surrounding the “Get On Up” film crew and that they bring back another production soon.

When they do, Natchez will welcome them with open arms. As we look back on the year, we see many more positives ahead for Natchez and the surrounding Miss-Lou. We hope you do, too.