Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

December 31, 2021. C’mon, you know the tune. Sing along. Out loud. Or to yourself. Of course, it’s meant for out loud group singing. With friends who won’t be forgotten.

Traditionally, you raise a glass and drink “a health”. Which made me think that we humans probably have always known the health benefits of … just being with each other. Whether or not we’re singing. But if you’re someone who likes to have some sort of clinical evidence, well, consider this while you consider your New Year resolutions.

This fascinating study shows the more social connections you have, the less likely you are to develop respiratory infections. Really.

It gets better. The more hugs the study subjects received when they were tense or experiencing conflict, the less likely they were to become ill when directly exposed to the rhinovirus.

And this study reported in American Journal of Public Health concludes that “ … social integration [having a network of friends] delays memory loss among elderly Americans.” The more acquaintances you stay in touch with, the less likely you are to forget them.

OK. Now … everyone. Join hands and sing along.

Happy New Year