goodbye to one year and hello to the next.
It's gone. 2010. What did I do? 2010. It was a year when everything changed.
I made new and close friends. Friends I never thought I'd make, and never thought I'd miss as much as I do. From girly movie nights to home-cooked dinners. They made my final months in Canada memorable.
One of my closest friends announced her pregnancy and had a little baby boy, the most adorable little newborn I'd ever seen. It was kind of amazing, being there from beginning till end. I remember feeling him kick from inside the womb while at the movies with Maggie. "He must like this movie!!" we exclaimed excitedly. And all of a sudden, so it seemed, he was here. A little 6.8 pound baby. With not a care in the world.
My maternal passed away two weeks before I arrived home. She was my last living grandparent and although I was never close to her, I feel the loss of one of the strongest people I've ever had the privilege to know. She was a Joan of Arc, a true fighter. She was independent and she was strong. Able. I like to think that I inherited her independence. She never needed anyone. And that, to me, is truly a rare gift--to be able to stand on two feet, steady as a fortress.
I finally made a concrete decision to move home. Nudged by family woes, no less. It was a hard decision, but one that had to be made. I like to think that it's the right one, but I guess I won't know till I've gone far enough in the future to be able to look back and ponder.
I learned a few lessons in life:
One. Make a decision and then stick with it. Take your time to weigh the pros, the cons, the good, the bad, the things you'll miss and the things you can live without. Think long and hard and then make a decision and take a stand. Don't look back. Don't wonder "what if". Just do, take the plunge, and then look ahead. Plan for today. Plan for the future. Do not grieve the past.
Two. Let things go. Life is life. There will always be stupid people, childish people, people who care only about themselves, and people who will ruthlessly step on everyone else to get what they want in life. You can't change them, there's nothing you can do about someone who's blind to all the heartless things they've done. All you can do is use them as a reminder of who you are NOT. And who you will never become. Remember them like a mantra. Remember them like a prayer. Don't hate them. Don't waste your time and energy. Let it go; it is easier and less tiring that way. There are just too many things in life that you can't change and that are out of your control. Don't let them consume you and make you afraid. Focus on the things that you CAN change.
Three. Family is everything. Need I say more? This includes family of the furry variety, of course.
Four. There is so much left to learn. You can never learn enough. Read more. Listen more. Watch more. Have meaningful discussions with knowledgeable people. Do not be ignorant. There was once a saying that ignorance is even more dangerous than stupidity. Ignorance breeds misguided hate and anger. You can never know everything but you can always know more than the person next to you, so learn. Learn about life. Learn about science. Learn about the world and learn about wisdom. There's never a time to quit learning, because what is life if not for intellectual and spiritual growth? We only have one life to live; so learn and remember the things you learn. They will one day serve you well, even if for reasons you can't yet comprehend.
Five. Know who your real allies are. Your comrades and the ones whom you truly care about and love. There is no need to try to indulge in niceties with those you clearly don't particularly care for. Spend your time with the people who make your life whole and complete. The ones who make you laugh and who extend a helping hand when you're in need. Sometimes you may not see them, but in times of need, they will surface and you will know. They will come to you, so don't worry. Look ahead and shut out the negative voices.
So welcome, 2011. It will be a year of new beginnings. New job, no doubt new things to learn. I hope I will love it, and I hope I will come to think of it as my lifeline. I've learned that there is really no meaning in working for the sake of working or for the money. A job is ever only going to be just a job if you don't love it. A career and a job are two very different things.
In the event that this fails, I always have plan B. Grad school. Still irked about the idea of going back to school, but it's a profession that I confess, I love.
We will see what 2011 brings. In any event, I hope that I will learn to be even stronger, wiser, and more patient. I hope that I will have the strength to rise above the challenges, the falls, and the valleys. I hope that ever more, I will continue to learn about life, about the world, about everything there is to learn.
Here's a toast to the new year and the hope that it brings.
I made new and close friends. Friends I never thought I'd make, and never thought I'd miss as much as I do. From girly movie nights to home-cooked dinners. They made my final months in Canada memorable.
One of my closest friends announced her pregnancy and had a little baby boy, the most adorable little newborn I'd ever seen. It was kind of amazing, being there from beginning till end. I remember feeling him kick from inside the womb while at the movies with Maggie. "He must like this movie!!" we exclaimed excitedly. And all of a sudden, so it seemed, he was here. A little 6.8 pound baby. With not a care in the world.
My maternal passed away two weeks before I arrived home. She was my last living grandparent and although I was never close to her, I feel the loss of one of the strongest people I've ever had the privilege to know. She was a Joan of Arc, a true fighter. She was independent and she was strong. Able. I like to think that I inherited her independence. She never needed anyone. And that, to me, is truly a rare gift--to be able to stand on two feet, steady as a fortress.
I finally made a concrete decision to move home. Nudged by family woes, no less. It was a hard decision, but one that had to be made. I like to think that it's the right one, but I guess I won't know till I've gone far enough in the future to be able to look back and ponder.
I learned a few lessons in life:
One. Make a decision and then stick with it. Take your time to weigh the pros, the cons, the good, the bad, the things you'll miss and the things you can live without. Think long and hard and then make a decision and take a stand. Don't look back. Don't wonder "what if". Just do, take the plunge, and then look ahead. Plan for today. Plan for the future. Do not grieve the past.
Two. Let things go. Life is life. There will always be stupid people, childish people, people who care only about themselves, and people who will ruthlessly step on everyone else to get what they want in life. You can't change them, there's nothing you can do about someone who's blind to all the heartless things they've done. All you can do is use them as a reminder of who you are NOT. And who you will never become. Remember them like a mantra. Remember them like a prayer. Don't hate them. Don't waste your time and energy. Let it go; it is easier and less tiring that way. There are just too many things in life that you can't change and that are out of your control. Don't let them consume you and make you afraid. Focus on the things that you CAN change.
Three. Family is everything. Need I say more? This includes family of the furry variety, of course.
Four. There is so much left to learn. You can never learn enough. Read more. Listen more. Watch more. Have meaningful discussions with knowledgeable people. Do not be ignorant. There was once a saying that ignorance is even more dangerous than stupidity. Ignorance breeds misguided hate and anger. You can never know everything but you can always know more than the person next to you, so learn. Learn about life. Learn about science. Learn about the world and learn about wisdom. There's never a time to quit learning, because what is life if not for intellectual and spiritual growth? We only have one life to live; so learn and remember the things you learn. They will one day serve you well, even if for reasons you can't yet comprehend.
Five. Know who your real allies are. Your comrades and the ones whom you truly care about and love. There is no need to try to indulge in niceties with those you clearly don't particularly care for. Spend your time with the people who make your life whole and complete. The ones who make you laugh and who extend a helping hand when you're in need. Sometimes you may not see them, but in times of need, they will surface and you will know. They will come to you, so don't worry. Look ahead and shut out the negative voices.
So welcome, 2011. It will be a year of new beginnings. New job, no doubt new things to learn. I hope I will love it, and I hope I will come to think of it as my lifeline. I've learned that there is really no meaning in working for the sake of working or for the money. A job is ever only going to be just a job if you don't love it. A career and a job are two very different things.
In the event that this fails, I always have plan B. Grad school. Still irked about the idea of going back to school, but it's a profession that I confess, I love.
We will see what 2011 brings. In any event, I hope that I will learn to be even stronger, wiser, and more patient. I hope that I will have the strength to rise above the challenges, the falls, and the valleys. I hope that ever more, I will continue to learn about life, about the world, about everything there is to learn.
Here's a toast to the new year and the hope that it brings.